The Return of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by WTalespinner
Summary: The sequel to "The Ruby Slippers of Oz" continues not only the Munchkinland adventures of Dorothy Gale, but also brings an old friend back to the land he once ruled, and he brings an orphan girl from Oklahoma with him. Can she aid an orphan boy from the Gillikin Country in discovering what happened to Nimmie Amee, the munchkin girl Emperor Nick Chopper loves?
1. I: Small Concerns, Big Surprises

**FOREWORD – **

**As with my last Oz-related tale, ****_The Ruby Slippers of Oz_****, this is a story that attempts to adapt elements from the fourteen Oz books written by L. Frank Baum…and material from books that are a part of his shared american fairy tale universe(****_Queen Zixi of Ix_****, ****_The Magical Monarch of Mo_****, ****_The Sea Fairies_****, and so forth) of which Oz is a part…and places it in the context of the foundations unique to MGM's classic movie adaptation of ****_The Wonderful Wizard of Oz_****, released in 1939.**

**As a matter of example, the Tin Woodman never actually had a name in the MGM movie, but he is identified as Nick Chopper in the books, owing to his having once been a munchkin woodcutter before his axe was jinxed by the Wicked Witch of the East, resulting in the grisly accidents that culminated in his reincarnation as the tin-plated and heartfelt Emperor of the Winkie Country. References to Nick, or Emperor Nicholas, in this story will therefore always correspond to the Tin Woodman.**

**As this story will adapt elements found in ****_The Tin Woodman of Oz_****, you should be seeing a little more of him here compared to the last story, too! ;)**

* * *

**I: Small Concerns, Big Surprises**

Dorothy Gale felt an all-too-familiar licking at the back of her hand as her eyelids fluttered wearily open. Apparently, she had maneuvered herself upon her bed to the point where her hand was hanging down, and off the side of the mattress. The corners of her mouth curled up once her half-lidded eyes confirmed the presence of the black-furred cairn terrier that was her beloved pet, Toto.

He looked a bit giddy this morning, however, as he looked up to his owner with eager eyes and a wagging tail. Toto then rose up on his hind legs, his tongue lolling as he panted excitedly. Frowning in her puzzlement, Dorothy rose from her bed in the restored farmhouse…which had once been a bit of a wreck after touching down in the land of Oz, with the young Kansas girl inside, before her munchkin friends repaired it…and began following Toto once she slipped off the bed and onto her bare feet.

As the front door was slightly open, Toto was able to give it enough of a shove to widen the space so he could get through, and he began to hurry forward along the dry country soil. Although the Kansas girl was still clad in her blue nightgown, the climate of the magical fairyland of Oz was perpetually comfortable, and she was a little more curious as to what it was that had excited her little dog. Cool breezes compelled shivers as she continued her hurried steps to keep up with Toto. Fortunately, he stopped once he reached a certain distance and looked behind him, making sure Dorothy was still in sight.

The champion of Oz called out Toto's name a couple of times, but the dog was heedless as they continued to distance themselves…significantly…from the restored farmhouse.

It got to the point where Dorothy began feeling very, very tired. She was only human, after all, and an empty stomach could only take her so far. She began to pant heavily as she continued to follow the excited cairn terrier in the distance.

Her peripheral vision caught sight of an abundance of animals, however, and they also looked to be in a state of excitement as Dorothy continued to move. Lions, tigers, bears, elephants, monkeys, deer…they all seemed to be visibly satisfied over something that the Kansas girl had yet to discover.

A more familiar sight awaited her, however, when she glanced to her right…but when she saw what was happening, she had to stop.

Her eyes lingered on a group of four-legged animals…all of them of a predatory nature…surrounding, and closing in on, one of her three very close friends. Surprisingly, the Cowardly Lion…who she had thought was supposed to be commanding the beasts since establishing the Legion of Courage…was now cowering from these angry, hungry-looking denizens of the wild.

A rough shove, however, from behind brought Dorothy down to her hands and knees. "Keep moving!" She heard an unpleasant voice growl. Despite hearing fearful blubbering that sounded very much like pleas for mercy from the frightened lion, the now very worried Kansas girl continued to move forward, compelling Toto…who didn't seem to care one bit about what was happening with the lion…to continue guiding Dorothy.

Glancing to the left, as she continued to wearily follow her dog, Dorothy's worries increased significantly as she saw pieces of broken tin scattered around a large gorilla, and on this gorilla's head was a dented and soiled, and very familiar-looking tin funnel. One big enough to fit on the head of a man.

A man like Nicholas Chopper.

Monkeys and baboons danced wildly around the exultant gorilla, and it was becoming very apparent that something was terribly wrong.

But the worst part was that Toto seemed to be okay with it!

As Dorothy continued to crawl, she heard the cawing of a large flock of crows, just beyond the area where the lion was cowering. Sure enough, shreds of a very familiar-looking blue outfit…an outfit she was used to seeing on the stuffed body of the Scarecrow…could be seen among the satisfied crows. Resting near the largest of these crows…one Dorothy surmised to be the King the Scarecrow often mentioned…was a familiar-looking hat.

She was particularly heartbroken seeing the crows looking so exultant around the scattered patches of hay and straw that logically used to be a part of the stuffed man she once shared many exultant dances with as a patchwork girl years before.

_What happened?_ She thought. _Who…or what…was responsible for all this?_

Toto continued to lead Dorothy, this time up a hill. As she begun her ascent, she saw that the animals were being joined by groups of humanoids, most of whom were armed with sharp and primitive-looking spears. They wore only loincloths, and some of them had a pelt of animal fur upon their bare skin. The animals around them, lethal or otherwise, found their presences quite pleasing, and some of these humanoids ran their hands affectionately along their hides as they passed.

The heads of these humanoids, however, were those of various animals. One had the head of a bunny, while another wore the head of a rhino. They were not masks, either. Those few that looked in Dorothy's direction snorted derisively.

The Kansas girl's limbs began to ache as she continued her upward approach, and upon looking ahead, she saw that there were others who, like her, were on their hands and knees. They were lined up in front of, and facing away from, a much more imposing humanoid figure holding one end of a group of chains, this one wearing the head of a bear.

The other ends of these jingling chains were apparently attached to the necks of those who were on the ground below him, all of them wearing ragged clothes, and all of them with sullen and defeated expressions on their faces as one of them looked up towards Dorothy.

She recognized the face of this particular woman.

It was _Glinda_, the most powerful sorceress of the entire land.

Dorothy also spotted the presence of a leather collar around the neck of the Good Witch of the South. She also saw similar collars around the necks of the other human captives as well.

She recognized the face of Locasta on another. Jellia Jamb was there. Omby Amby. Master General Commander Jinjur. Even the fairy princess, Ozma, was on her hands and knees, with a chain attached to her neck.

She also saw her Aunt Em and her Uncle Henry, even though their heads were still down. Dorothy felt tears stream down her face as she looked back over to the menacing-looking, bear-headed presence holding the leashes.

Angry eyes seemed to dig deep into the soul of the Kansas girl, overpowering any defiant effort she might have had to stand in the face of this evil, bear-headed person, as the creature's free hand leveled a claw-tipped index finger towards Dorothy, a wicked grin forming on his fanged muzzle.

"And now," his dreadfully low voice boomed. "it's YOUR turn."

Dorothy suddenly felt warm pulses of magical energy surge into and throughout her body as she began to shake and quiver. Looking around for Toto, she saw that the apparently happy little dog had settled himself _right beside this bear-headed monster_. Fearful for what this magic was going to do to her next, her attention was diverted to the presence of something she brought her hands up to touch.

Something that had suddenly appeared around her neck…

* * *

Dorothy burst up out of her bed with a loud gasp, her eyes as wide as possible.

Looking around the area surrounding her bed, she confirmed…much to her relief…that everything was as she had left it the previous evening following the grading of little Tula's papers.

It then became apparent, as she sighed out relaxedly, that Dorothy was still among the munchkins, inhabiting the house that Locasta…the Good Witch of the North…had provided for her use.

Looking down upon her short, formerly human frame with a slight smile, and then looking at her pudgy hands, Dorothy confirmed that _she_ was still a munchkin as well.

Since the events that led to the fairy girl Ozma earning the birthright she had inherited from her father…rulership over the land of Oz...and the subsequent relocation of her Aunt and Uncle, and all of their pets, to the land, Dorothy Gale…or rather, "Miss" Dorothy…had been willingly honoring the oath she had taken with the Learning Guild in the two years that had followed the overthrow of Ugu, the shoemaker that had temporarily conquered the Emerald City. She had, after all, been entrusted to the schooling of Tula, a young munchkin girl who had initially chosen the life of an Emerald City maid over what her mother…an old and somewhat cantankerous munchkin woman named Prudence…had preferred Tula to develop: a full education under the Learning Guild's auspices and resources.

But the formerly human Kansas girl was required to do this _as _a munchkin, and fairy magic had made this possible.

Although there were times, in those two years, when Miss Dorothy needed to sharpen her tone in keeping Tula focused, the munchkin girl proved herself capable of learning the lessons…and doing the homework assignments…of her munchkin tutor, who herself was gaining more of an education through the magic glasses she had been given than she did when she was going to school back in Kansas. Miss Dorothy also found her responsibilities as a tutor limited to a familiar five-day-a-week routine, as well, although the decision was Dorothy's as to how many hours she would perform her tutoring per day. After a bit of consideration, she chose an 8 am to 3 pm routine, with an hour's break for lunch.

The other tutors of the Learning Guild found this a bit radical, as they were used to four hours at the most in performing their tutoring with their charges. Once Dorothy had explained her routine at one of the Guild's many meetings, the Headmistress of the Guild…Philomena, of course…urged other tutors to follow Dorothy's routine. Although many of their charges complained, the tutors all agreed that there was considerable improvement in their educational standards, making Dorothy's six-hour tutoring regimen a popular standard with the guild.

In the two days she had to herself…Saturday and Sunday, of course…the munchkins of Munchkinland, the Mayor in particular, were entirely eager to instruct and indoctrinate Miss Dorothy, who they all knew to be the very same Dorothy Gale who had freed them all from the tyranny of the Wicked Witch of the East, in various munchkin customs and habits. Much of it involved a considerable amount of eating and gossiping. In the latter case, Dorothy found it preferable to merely listen in on the various tidbits of local drama rather than contribute to it, offering opinions only when asked.

The always dapper Mayor…whose name was Boq…seemed to dote on Dorothy whenever he was around, too. He was always on his most courteous behavior, though, even if it did seem like he was giving the munchkin tutor a little more attention than other more important matters. Many was the occasion, in those two years, when Dorothy found a surprise gift…mostly pre-prepared and very delicious food…on her doorstep when she emerged from the house. Dorothy always found these gestures quite charming, even if Boq had made an effort to make sure that these gifts were anonymously offered.

Boq's penmanship, after all, was not at all difficult to figure out.

She was regularly visited by her other three friends, as well. The tin-plated, heartfelt Emperor of the Winkies, Nicholas Chopper, came by on many occasions to visit his dear friend from Kansas. The ordained King of the beasts and Commander-In-Chief of the Legion of Courage that was now known as the Once-Cowardly Lion similarly reunited with the munchkin tutor that was once the lost human girl who bravely stood up to his less-than-effective intimidation ploy and then exposed his failing. The leonine monarch acquainted Dorothy with many of the great beasts that comprised his Legion of Courage, all of whom were bound by a code his majordomo, the Hungry Tiger, had devised. Chief among them was the first tenet of the code: there was no Legion of Courage, save for the knowledge shared between not only the members themselves, but those they entrusted to their shared secret. Dorothy herself assured the King that said secret was in good hands as far as she was concerned. There were even capers they had conducted in various potentially problematic matters in and around Oz which they consulted Dorothy about, hoping for helpful knowledge, which the munchkin tutor was all too willing to provide. The lion subsequently slipped a rumor to Dorothy that they were beginning to consider making the formerly human girl from Kansas an honorary member of the Legion.

None, however, were so frequent a visitor to Dorothy's home as the ever-erudite Scarecrow of Oz, who had been ordained royal advisor to the Princess Ozma. He practically visited the munchkin Dorothy had become on a near-nightly basis, often testing his very best friend on the knowledge she herself was amassing through the enchanted glasses. On weekends, the Scarecrow was either in the company of Ozma herself, taking a break from her many duties as the land's ruler, or he was joined by another individual who looked entirely familiar the moment she spotted her.

This stuffed patchwork girl was, after all, no different from what Dorothy herself had become through Mombi's wicked sorcery, save for a few minor alterations.

As the Scarecrow explained, this version of Scraps was indeed created by the munchkin called Doctor Pipt to act as a servant to his wife, Margolotte. Unc Nunkie…a relative of Ojo the Lucky, who was the Guildmaster of the Lollipop Guild…assisted in the cultivation of the entirely undignified rascal that had resulted from the Doctor's work, although this time Margolotte made sure that her husband had temporarily relocated any petrifaction potions in the work area.

From the moment Scraps had come to life, however, she all too often diverted from the responsibilities Margolotte had presented her with, preferring dancing and prancing…and occasionally speaking in rhyming, lyrical verse…to any concept of diligent and serious work. Although there were times Margolotte was capable of getting her patchwork girl focused on tasks, her concentration did not last.

It was through her first encounter with Miss Dorothy during one of her wild wanderings, however, that her curiosity about the royal advisor of Oz…who she had been told was a stuffed person like herself…compelled the patchwork servant girl to divert to the Emerald City.

Since her very first meeting with the Scarecrow, Scraps visited him far more frequently than the Scarecrow himself visited Dorothy!

For the moment, however, Dorothy was alone in her bed. When her thoughts were of the nightmare she had thankfully come out of, however, the munchkin tutor looked past the edge of the bed…

…and confirmed the presence of her beloved cairn terrier curled up and sleeping peacefully.

At the same time, however, Dorothy saw something else as she glanced to a nearby window. Something staring curiously upon her with large eyes. But when the curious munchkin's own eyes turned to look upon the owl's, the large bird immediately flew away.

Dorothy slid her chubby munchkin form off the side of the bed, her bare feet landing softly next to where Toto was sleeping. The dog, sensing this, now began to stir, his head lifting up wearily from the smooth-carpeted floor. The smiling munchkin tutor lowered to a knee and ran her hand along his fur as he looked up at his beloved owner.

Toto padded idly around the munchkin home as Dorothy went to the kitchen area of the house, pouring herself a warm cup of tea. It was Saturday, after all, and she had no rush to get any lesson plans ready. The day was her own once again.

As she gazed outside the large front window of her home to see Munchkinland society begin to stir from their own resting periods, her developing thoughts were of the last two weeks before Tula's final evaluation. Dorothy looked very much forward to seeing the munchkin she had been teaching for the past two years be among the students to receive their diplomas, indicating that they had officially completed their tutelage. Even though she had never been born a munchkin, she knew that the moment in which Tula's name would be announced by the Headmistress would fill Miss Dorothy with a great sense of pride.

At the same time, it also meant that she could finally leave munchkin life behind her, and be restored to the human girl she was before Dorothy was ordained to tutor Tula. After two years of admittedly enjoying munchkin customs and their general livelihood, she had a feeling that re-adjusting to human standards of living would be a little difficult, but Ozma had to live up to her end of the bargain that was struck between the princess and the Learning Guild.

For the moment, however, she finished her mug full of tea and went to her dresser to pull out yet another sweet-looking, munchkin-designed dress. In the two years of her life among them, Dorothy had also acquainted herself with the various exotic hairstyles worn by some of the community's women. Having been taught how to do many of these styles herself, her hands worked at her own hair to shape it into another wildly unusual, yet undeniably cute arrangement.

She couldn't help but wonder how much of these habits she had developed would bleed into her human life once she was restored.

As she finished fixing up her hair, Toto began barking wildly by the front door. As he continued barking, she then heard a very familiar female voice respond to the cacophany. "Gaah! You're no fun! Go away! Shoo! Fetch a stick or somethin'!"

Dorothy smiled as she hurried to the front door, shushing the little dog as she pulled it open. As she had expected, a human-shaped explosion of patchwork colors could be seen standing at the door.

"Haaap-py Satur-daaaaay!" Scraps ebulliently threw her arms out in emphasis of her statement, and she whirled her body around as the patchwork girl practically danced her way into Dorothy's home. The little munchkin recognized much of the patchwork quilt to be the very same fabric she herself had worn when Mombi made Dorothy a patchwork girl two years ago. Since first meeting the new Scraps, she noted that this new patchwork girl shared a lot of the carefree habits Dorothy had displayed while she was stuck in her stuffed body.

The munchkin tutor had her arms crossed, however, and a smirk was on her face as the patchwork girl's button eyes met Dorothy's. "You were gonna take me by surprise again, weren't you? Sneak in and set yourself up somewhere while I was sleeping, and then tackle me like you always do when I get close?"

"Oh, don't be such a fuddy-diddley about it! It's _fun!_" Scraps countered. She then began advancing, ominously, on the little munchkin. "Besides…who says I need to sneak in to give you another _patchwork explosion!_"

As she yelled out the last two words, the lightweight patchwork girl pounced upon Dorothy, smothering and trapping her playfully as Toto began to bark and growl. The tired munchkin tutor yelped as she found herself once again surrounded by the patchwork material that made up Scraps's body, and she began to protest and whine as she squirmed within. "Aww, c'mon, Scraps! I just got up! Gimme enough room to breathe a little! Okay, enough is enough! Lemme go! This is embarrassing! Scraaaaaps! C'moooon!"

Scraps, however, giggled wildly as she held Dorothy, rolling around like a round ball as the little tutor protested and flailed her chubby limbs. "Oh, you love it and you _know_ it, silly munchkin!" Scraps countered.

Toto began barking towards the front door again, only this time with a little more excitement as his little tail wagged wildly. A familiar voice could then be heard.

"Oh, come on, Scraps! Let her go! Just because you made it here before I did doesn't mean you get to do that silly 'explosion' thing!"

Scraps sighed in response, but her smile remained. "Whatever you say, honey bunch." The patchwork girl then released her ankles, allowing Dorothy to roll out and face her newest visitor, who she had recognized the moment she heard his voice.

The smiling Scarecrow held out the glove of his right hand towards the little munchkin, helping her to rise to her feet. "Sorry about that, Dorothy."

"It's OK…I'm kinda used to it by now." The munchkin fixed her somewhat dissheveled hair before looking to Ozma's royal advisor and flashing a sweet smile. "Good morning, Scarecrow."

The former king of Oz bent to a knee before the munchkin tutor as he spoke. "I need you to come with me to the Emerald City this morning, Dorothy. Princess Ozma spotted something using her Magic Picture that I think you'll want to see. There's a taxi waiting for us at the Munchkinland gates as we speak."

Dorothy couldn't help but glance at Scraps, who had gone behind the Scarecrow and was silently, but obnoxiously mimicking her straw-stuffed friend's gestures as he spoke. She was mock-mouthing his words, as well. When the Scarecrow noticed the munchkin tutor's curious glances, he turned his head to face Scraps, who quickly smiled sweetly and gave the ordained royal advisor a cordial wave with the glove of her left hand.

"Shouldn't you be pinning up Margolotte's laundry, Scraps?" The Scarecrow asked.

Scraps just shrugged. "She's not awake yet!"

"Well, I'm sorry, Scraps, but I'm afraid this is official business." The straw-stuffed advisor gestured for Dorothy to follow before looking back to the patchwork girl. "Maybe you can surprise her by having it done _before _she gets up, eh?"

"Ohhh, okay. Go off an' do your fuddy-diddley bizzy-busy-ness." Scraps followed her two friends out, but separated and began prancing away in the opposite direction. "But I'm kidnappin' you later for another romp through the POP-piiiieeees!"

Dorothy quirked an eyebrow as she and the Scarecrow began their stroll to the community's gates. "Stroll through the poppies, eh?"

"Well, as always, Scraps _rarely _gives me a moment's rest." The Scarecrow replied. "I guess you were right. She really _is_ quite obsessed with me!"

"Seems logical, though." Dorothy noted. "After all…you both have the obvious similarities."

"Just like you and I once did." The stuffed advisor reminded. "Sometimes, it makes me want to be human. Just to be able to _dream_ about those wonderful nights we had."

"My own dreams weren't all that pleasant last night." The munchkin tutor's expression darkened. "It was more like a nightmare."

As they boarded the taxi and the driver got the lavender-furred horse underway, Dorothy explained the vivid nightmare to the straw-stuffed advisor in as much detail as she could.

"Men with animal heads, eh?" the Scarecrow began to think on this. "The only kinds of creatures who look like that are the phanfasms of Mount Phantastico…but they're on the other side of the desert. There hasn't been any phanfasms…or any Erbs, for that matter…anywhere in Oz for a long, long time."

"Erbs?"

"That's the race the phanfasms belong to." The royal advisor explained. "All the races of erbs have one thing in common. They're as evil as evil gets. Even on the few occasions when they're being nice, it's always a means to an end. Phanfasms, mimics, carnevillans…it's funny you should mention the bear-headed man in your nightmare. The leader of the phanfasms fits that very description. He's called the First and Foremost."

"But…if I've never met them before…" Dorothy frowned in her confusion. "…why did I dream about them?"

The Scarecrow shrugged. "Maybe that's something you should ask Glinda."

The troubled munchkin slowly nodded as the taxi continued along the yellow brick road towards the Emerald City. Their conversations were of idle happenings in and around the land of Oz for the remainder of the trip, and Dorothy assured her straw-stuffed friend that she maintained her vow to visit her Aunt and Uncle for Sunday dinners. Despite his being initially troubled by Dorothy's munchkin appearance, her Uncle Henry's tolerance grew to the point where her munchkin nature was no longer an issue. Particularly for the fact that by now, he had made a great many friends within the munchkin community.

In fact, many munchkin farmers had improved their respective crop outputs significantly through Henry's tutelage.

They reminisced about their reaction to an offer that Ozma had made to reward Henry and his wife for their help in improving farming techniques throughout Munchkinland. As much as Henry seemed to jump at the opportunity to have his youth restored, it was Dorothy's Aunt Em who deemed the gesture far too extravagant to accept. Dorothy herself remembered that she, too, preferred to see her Aunt and Uncle unaltered when she learned of Ozma's intentions. It was not as if either of them would get any older, after all, since being affected by the land-wide fairy enchantment which prevented anyone in Oz from growing any older than the age they had preferred to remain at.

"Just between you and me, Dorothy…" The Scarecrow confided. "…I think Henry paid Ozma a secret visit afterwards. If you've ever suspected that your Aunt and Uncle look about five years younger than they were since moving to Oz…"

"Hmmm…I _have _noticed them both looking a little less…wrinkly these days." Dorothy observed, compelling them both to giggle as the taxi finally settled in front of the royal palace, which was the largest and the tallest building in the whole of the Emerald City.

The palace's head maid, Jellia Jamb, gestured for Dorothy and the Scarecrow to follow her to the lavish boudoir of the fairy princess of Oz. When they entered, they all saw Ozma waiting for them in front of the idle Magic Picture, which displayed the animated image of a tranquil meadow as Ozma rose, smiling, to greet the little munchkin.

"And how is munchkin life, my dear?" Ozma sweetly asked, kissing the smiling tutor on her forehead. "As I understand it, Tula's educational progress should be an indication that your penance is about to end. Are you looking forward to your restoration?"

Dorothy shrugged. "Well…there's a lot about munchkin life that I'm gonna miss…but it's not like I can't enjoy it after I've been restored, right?"

Ozma nodded. "Of course. So…to business. I would like you to look upon the Magic Picture with me. There's someone I need you to help me identify." The fairy princess then turned to the idle image surrounded by the pure radium frame.

"Magic Picture…" Ozma began. "…show me the prince of the mangaboos."

"Hopefully, he's still there." The Scarecrow then remarked, which made Dorothy even more curious as the tranquil meadow blurred out of recognition…

…and was replaced by the image of three figures who were in conversation. As the Magic Picture was capable of showing only images, and not sounds, they could only pay witness to the individuals. One of the two men was regal and quite attractive-looking in appearance despite the taciturn expression on his face. This man wore what looked to be a glistening star in the dark hair above his forehead.

The other two human figures were small in stature. While Dorothy did not recognize the girl in the soiled white dress who wore a matching bonnet on her head…

…she absolutely recognized the gray-haired old man next to her. The last time she saw this exceptionally well-dressed man, he had lost control of the hot air balloon he had offered to use to return Dorothy to Kansas. Up until this very moment, she thought she would never see him again.

But, lo and behold, this was the very same former ruler of the land. The very same man who rewarded a ph-D to the Scarecrow, a ticking heart to Nick Chopper, and a golden medal to the Once-Cowardly Lion before offering to take Dorothy home.

It was the very same Wizard of Oz.

Dorothy's eyes naturally widened in shock, and her mouth hung open in disbelief. She first turned her head to the Scarecrow, who nodded his head in confirmation. "It really _is_ him, Dorothy! He's back!"

She then turned to Ozma in her elation. "How far is that place from here?"

"Oh, I'm afraid he's considerably far, my dear." Ozma replied. "He's in a community which is part of a larger country called Boboland. The Scarecrow and I were talking about past rulers of Oz when he indulged my curiosity about the man who ruled the land following my father's disappearance. We had to consult Glinda to find out his real name, which is…quite a mouthful."

"Oscar Zoroaster Phaedrig Issac Norman Henkel Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs." The Scarecrow then added. "Ozma spoke that very name…and we saw him save that young girl's life as he and his balloon fell through a crack in the earth."

"We don't know who the girl is, though." Ozma then noted as the attentions of all three went back to the picture.

The apparent prince of the mangaboos…the man with the star on his head…seemed to be in a bit of an altercation with the former ruler of the land of Oz. Whatever manner of convincing the old man was attempting, the prince didn't look very moved by it.

By the gestures of the girl in the bonnet, however, she seemed to make the old man look quite awe-inspiring, and this was enough to compel the prince to make some kind of consideration that ultimately led to a judgment.

As the trio in the boudoir watched, another individual suddenly appeared at the apparent bidding of the prince, and this bald, yellow-suited individual had a highly unusual abundance of rose-bush thorns sticking out all over his body. After quite a bit of conversation, the thorned man seemed to gesture around him as if casting a spell, and everyone else seemed to react to a sound they were hearing.

Dorothy wondered, to herself, if what she was seeing was similar to the silent movies her Aunt Em had mentioned in past conversations with her Uncle Henry as they continued to observe. It now seemed apparent that this was some kind of magic duel, as the Wizard was now performing his own sorcery, which the munchkin tutor had learned was nothing more than sleight-of-hand trickery since Oscar Diggs was in no way a _real _magic-user like Locasta or Glinda.

Nevertheless, the trickery the Wizard managed to display for these unusual people…using a hat he had borrowed…still managed to impress the prince. Oscar had apparently created a piglet out of thin air, and then produced eight more of them before the astonished onlookers. After a few words from the prince, the Wizard seemed to combine his nine tiny piglets into one, and then had this last piglet disappear into the hat.

Ozma angled her head to the Scarecrow as she continued to watch. "I thought you said he was a fraud."

The Scarecrow shrugged, smiling. "He's obviously a very _good _fraud." He looked back upon the image with a puzzled expression. "I wonder what kind of people these mangaboos are, though?"

"From what I remember of the mangaboos? I believe their people are grown from the soil." Ozma revealed.

Dorothy arched a brow. "So…they're like…_vegetable _people?"

Ozma couldn't help but giggle at this. "More or less, yes."

As the confrontation between the thorned man and the Wizard of Oz continued, the thorned man had apparently produced an enchantment that made it visibly difficult for Oscar to breathe, and worried expressions were now on the faces of Dorothy, Ozma, and the Scarecrow as Oscar's hands reached for his own throat.

They saw the girl he was with begin to react with her own visible sense of worry, while the prince looked disturbingly indifferent. The girl, however, appeared to notice that the prince was armed with a long, thin sword.

In his own effort to resist the thorned man's enchantment, Oscar had pulled a leather case from a pocket of his coat…but he could not even open it. He was still gasping for air, and in the next moment, he had dropped to his knees.

At the same time Oscar's knees hit the floor, the girl the Wizard had with him…who looked to be a year older than Dorothy…suddenly moved towards the distracted prince, pulled his sword, and pointed it quite threateningly at the thorned man. Unfazed by the sudden maneuver, the unusual magician seemed to increase his concentration, and Oscar's face twisted even more with the intense constriction at his throat.

To the complete surprise of the observing trio, the angry girl vaulted up in a perfect somersault and brought the blade right down on the thorned man's head. The blade continued its downward stroke as it cleaved the thorn-covered magician in two!

This surprising sight was then met with horrified gasps once the girl was back on the ground…but this also confirmed Ozma's reminder that the mangaboos were apparently a plant-based people, as the two halves that fell to the sides revealed a moist substance identical to that which existed beyond the outer surface of a common potato!

"Dear me!" The Scarecrow exclaimed in wide-eyed amazement.

"I have a feeling this is not going to end well." Ozma then observed thoughtfully.

"Isn't there anything we could do?" Dorothy worriedly asked the fairy princess.

With the Wizard freed from the enchantment that was slowly killing him, his first instinct was to shield the girl who had saved his life from harm as the others in the room…the prince included…advanced towards her angrily. Upon Oscar's next words, the prince raised a hand, and the others…who were sword-armed guards…withdrew and returned to their posts.

"They should be safe for the time being."

The female voice gave a brief fright to all three in the boudoir, and they turned to confirm that Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, had soundlessly appeared behind them. She suppressed a giggle upon seeing their startled expressions. "I apologize, your highness. I had actually come to inform you that Mr. Diggs had returned to the nonestic lands, but it appears you have already learned of this."

"How did he get here, though?" Dorothy asked.

"It would seem that the american region called California has been hit by a rare, but considerable seismic disturbance." Glinda replied. "You need not worry for the Wizard of Oz, however. As per the culture of the mangaboos, a wizard who defeats the prince's current wizard inherits the wizard's responsibilities."

"So…he's _stuck _with the mangaboos?" The Scarecrow frowned. "But…he was dying. I would think he would have _lost_ that duel if it weren't for that girl."

"Yet, the prince would have been without a wizard." Glinda reasoned. "Mr. Diggs clearly displayed his talent for prestidigitation. Just as he did with the people of Oz when he first arrived in our lands."

"So now, he's…the Wizard of the mangaboos?" Dorothy deduced aloud. "Could they do that? He's not like them, after all."

Glinda then gestured to the magic picture, smiling. "See for yourself!"

Returning their attention to the magic picture, they indeed saw that the recovered Wizard had a more satisfied look on his face, and the girl who was with him also looked relieved as she returned the prince's sword to the star-headed monarch.

The red-robed sorceress then looked to Ozma. "Shall I maintain my vigilance over Oscar's situation, your majesty?"

"Yes, please." The fairy princess replied. "Should his current situation change in a manner that might endanger him, I would like to know about it."

"Very well, your highness." Glinda bowed reverently as she acknowledged the ruler of Oz.

"Who was the girl, Glinda?" Dorothy then asked.

The Good Witch of the South giggled a bit at this inquiry. "I should have expected that you would be curious about Oscar's impressively acrobatic companion. Her name is Betsy. She and Mr. Diggs have been good friends ever since Oscar…not long after his unexpected departure from Oz…joined the considerably popular traveling circus group Betsy had been allowed to remain with after she had escaped the horrible orphanage she had been placed in."

"An orphan." Dorothy lowered her head thoughtfully. "Just like…me."

Glinda nodded. "She was a native of Oklahoma before she stowed away on one of the vehicles used by Bailum and Barney's Great Consolidated Shows. Apparently, Betsy had developed a longing to join a circus ever since her parents…may they rest in peace…took her on the first of many trips to see their shows. She had been doing a lot of physical exercise since she established her resolve."

"That explains her acrobatics." The Scarecrow deduced.

Dorothy nodded in agreement. "I hope they'll both be alright with the mangaboos."

"If Glinda is confident that they'll be safe, that's all the convincing I need." Ozma remarked as Glinda formed a bubble around herself, waving a farewell to Dorothy as she floated out and away from the nearby balcony. The fairy princess then turned to the Scarecrow. "I wonder if you could represent me at the throne downstairs for the time being. Unless anything serious comes up."

The royal advisor bowed in his acknowledgement. "As you wish, your highness." He then turned and headed for the boudoir's entrance. Ozma gestured to a munchkin-sized stool, which Dorothy pulled up and sat upon.

Once the Scarecrow closed the door behind him, Ozma's benign expression softened further as she looked upon the munchkin tutor that had once been human. "So, my cute little munchkin girl…Tula is almost finished with her curriculum, eh?"

Dorothy nodded, smiling. "Almost time for you to change me back, too."

"Of course, and I _will _honor my end of the bargain. Don't worry." Ozma assured. "Although I should have Philomena test _you_. See how much _you _have learned during your tutoring years."

"She said she would do that once Tula's evaluation is completed." The munchkin tutor explained. "I'm sure she'll pass her exams, though."

Ozma then stepped over to Dorothy and placed her slender hands upon the munchkin girl's shoulders, smiling softly as her beautiful fairy eyes stared affectionately into Dorothy's. "Think you'll miss munchkin life?"

The munchkin tutor shrugged. "It's not like I won't be allowed to join them once I've been changed back. I just won't actually _be _one of them." Dorothy then lowered her head thoughtfully. "But…well, I will admit the life kinda grew on me. Their society kind of reminds me of Kansas life…except here, it's quite a bit more colorful, and I have a lot more friends closer to home."

"Oh, but you have friends _all over _the land of Oz, my little champion." Ozma softly caressed Dorothy's hair as she spoke. "It wouldn't surprise me if someone wanted to see you become a ruler, just like me. Princess Dorothy Gale. I like the sound of that."

"Well…I'm not really interested in becoming a Princess, your highness." Dorothy admitted. "Being who I am is all I've ever wanted to be, to be honest."

Ozma quirked an eyebrow. "A munchkin?"

Dorothy giggled. "No, no…a girl. You know…what I was born to be."

"Yes." Ozma nodded slowly, still gazing into the little munchkin's eyes. "And a very pretty human girl, at that. I'm hoping to see a lot more of you once I've seen to your restoration, Dorothy Gale."

The little munchkin tutor blushed deeply, and lowered her head bashfully.

"Have you given any thought to being a little _more _than just that, though?" Ozma then asked. "Perhaps Glinda can begin training you in the use of magic."

But Dorothy shook her head. "I have no interest in any of that, your highness."

"Are you sure?" Ozma now had a more worried look on her face. "With the word spreading all over Oz of your deeds, that might have individuals far worse than those witches wanting to confront you. Challenge you. What if Mombi somehow gets her magic powers back?"

Dorothy gave this a bit of thought as she contemplatively lowered her head. Particularly for the warning Mombi gave her when she last saw the de-powered gillikin witch.

With a resigned sigh, however, the munchkin tutor looked back up to Ozma. "I guess I'll have to rely on a kind heart, a strong brain, and an awful lot of courage to deal with them."

Ozma smiled at this, perceiving a double-meaning on the young girl's thinking with her answer. Perhaps she was not only referring to her own three values as a human, but also to her three friends, as well. Each of whom had earned considerable influence in the wake of Glinda sending Dorothy back home.

Glinda herself…the most powerful sorceress in the land of Oz…was also counted among those friends.

Dorothy's admirable and charming sense of humility also impressed the fairy princess. Ozma surmised that whichever fairy had made the decision to touch the Kansas girl when she was still in her infancy had made a very, very good choice.

"I shouldn't keep you any further, my erudite tutor." Ozma then remarked, breaking her long and thoughtful silence. She then fixed a more inquisitive expression on the little munchkin. "You _do _know what 'erudite' means, don't you?"

Dorothy nodded, smiling. "Having knowledge gained through study."

"Perfect! You defined it without using those glasses, too!" Ozma exclaimed as Dorothy slipped off of her stool. "Now I'm confident you'll pass Philomena's examination for sure. Now let's head downstairs. I think it's time I relieved the Scarecrow and got back to seeing if we have any visitors today."

As they walked out of the boudoir door and headed down the stairs towards the throne room, Dorothy couldn't help but ask the same question she had been repeating, in one form or another, to Ozma every time the two of them were together. "So how is…"

"How is the Scarecrow doing?" Ozma interjected with a sly smile on her face. "He's been doing just fine as my advisor, Dorothy…although Scraps has become a bit of a distraction for him ever since she was created."

Dorothy nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "They do look good together."

"Just as you and him did when _you _were a patchwork girl." Ozma reminded. "Is that why you've been asking? You're not jealous, are you?"

The little munchkin tutor blushed. "Well…maybe a _little_."

Once they were past the last step on the stairs, Ozma went to a knee and placed her hands on the pudgy tutor's shoulders again. "I don't think you have _anything _to worry about, my little munchkin. Although I know he's only made of straw, he certainly has a heart in his own way, and I think even Emperor Nicholas would agree that there's still a part of my royal advisor who won't soon forget how special you are to him, whether you're a cotton-stuffed patchwork girl or not."

Dorothy nodded, smiling as they advanced towards the throne room. "I always try to remember that, your majesty."

As Ozma approached the throne room seat, the Scarecrow rose out of it as Jellia Jamb stepped right over to Dorothy once she spotted the pudgy munchkin.

"Dorothy…" Jellia began, somewhat hesitantly. "…um, Boq is waiting for you outside."

The munchkin tutor sighed, but she had a smile on her face. "Probably wants to give me a lift back to Munchkinland. _Again._"

"Should I go out and tell him you already left?" Jellia asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Dorothy shook her head. "No…I don't mind. He's actually a very charming munchkin."

"Is that your way of saying you like him?" Jellia then asked. "I mean...you _really _like him?"

The munchkin tutor thought on this for a moment, and replied to Jellia with the one word which more or less summed up her conclusions.

She punctuated her answer with a coy shrug and a sweet smile. "Maybe."


	2. II: The Wizard ofVegetables?

**II: The Wizard of…Vegetables?**

"_Destroy?_" The prince's new wizard exclaimed. "Why in the world would you want to destroy my friends, your highness? Why not let them live?"

The prince of the mangaboos held his head up in a fairly snooty fashion as he replied. "Because the girl dared to touch my sword without permission. Furthermore, while I find you to be of use to me for your great powers as a wizard, the girl cannot remain among us. Unlike the court wizard she killed, she cannot be planted and re-grown. None who violate the sacred mangaboo cycle of rebirth can remain with us."

"And…how do you plan to dispose of her?" Oscar curiously asked.

"She will be dropped into Garden of the Clinging Vines, of course, where she will be properly crushed by the vines which grow there." The mangaboo ruler casually replied.

"An' what if I don't _wanna _be crushed?" young Betsy steadfastly protested, her balled fists on her hips.

"Can she not serve as your new wizard's royal protector, perhaps?" The Wizard offered. "You did see how skilled she was with your blade! Just leave her with me, your majesty. I promise she will be no trouble to you at all."

The prince seemed to think on this, and then a thought occurred to him. "As you are a powerful wizard, perhaps you would consider turning this girl…into one of us? It is the only way she will be able to escape what we must do."

Oscar's first instinct was to deny being able to do such a thing…but he stopped himself, as this resignation would doom young Betsy. He instead affected a reaction owing to serious consideration. "Well…you _do _realize that such a powerful spell will require a great deal of preparation for me to cast! Give me at least a day, your highness, and once tomorrow's ritual is complete, young Betsy will become no different from any one of your good people."

The mangaboo prince quirked an eyebrow as he pondered his judgment. If this wizard produced nine piglets out of thin air, he thought, then he must surely possess the power to turn the girl into one of his people!

Betsy gave the Wizard a wary look as the prince considered his response…but the Oklahoma girl saw the old man quickly turn his head to her long enough for Betsy to acknowledge the sly wink of his right eye.

"Very well, my new sorcerer." The prince finally concluded. "For the moment, I will permit her to remain among us, but you _must_ honor your end of the bargain upon the rising of the morning sun."

Oscar affected a bold tone as he spoke his confirmation. "By my word as your great and powerful wizard, Betsy Bobbin shall be…er…mangaboo-zled!"

The mangaboo monarch turned to Betsy with a surprisingly pleasant smile. "You should find our culture most agreeable, Miss Betsy."

The Wizard, on the other hand, wanted very much to change the subject, getting the prince's attentions restored to the tour he was taking him and Betsy on. He gestured to a large and very beautiful bush in the garden-like mangaboo realm. "*_ahem_*…Your highness, you were telling us about _this_ particular area?"

The prince glanced over, and caught on quickly. "Ah, yes. The Royal Bush of the Mangaboos, from which all of our great leaders are grown."

Betsy's eyes were on the bush's central stalk, within which she saw a very lovely-looking young maiden wearing a soft satin gown. Dainty lace-like traceries trimmed the bodice and the sleeves of this beautiful dress, and she seemed to have a dignified and graceful poise.

"Is this gonna be your next lead'r?" Betsy asked. "She looks pretty!"

The prince seemed wary as he glanced to the stalk, and the lovely maiden within it. "Uh…well, she's not quite ripe yet. It would be unwise to pull her when she is not perfectly formed, you know."

Betsy, however, couldn't help but notice the dismissive manner in which the prince was speaking. "That's funny…she looks ready t' me."

"And how would YOU know? You're not a mangaboo! Not _yet, _anyway…" The prince snapped. He then gestured angrily to the apparently slumbering maiden. "…and I don't want you going anywhere _near _this stalk! This is my first royal command to you as a future citizen of our realm, little one! Now you mind the Wizard you're to protect, or I will have him change you into a _turnip _instead!"

As the prince spoke, one of the mangaboo guards…who wielded a thorned staff…caught the attention of the monarch and began speaking to him in hushed tones. The prince sighed aloud in reaction to this confided message.

The monarch then turned to Oscar, looking a little embarrassed. "I don't suppose you could make a gray-furred _mule _disappear, could you?"

Betsy immediately reacted to this, quite alarmingly, upon hearing the word 'mule'. The Wizard also took sudden interest, suspecting who this might be. "Uh…if it is who I think it is, I actually _know _this mule. His name is Hank! He should be no trouble."

A frown was now on the mangaboo monarch's face. "I am not asking if he is going to be any trouble. I am asking you to _make him disappear! _My people are going to start thinking that Rain of Stones brought a plague to our domain! Now if you cannot remove this furry beast forthwith, I shall be forced to feed him to the vines!"

"NO! Don't do that!" Betsy cried out. "Hank is my friend!"

The prince crossed his arms as he smirked. "Yes, he did mention you as he protested. But I am only keeping you from the vines because of my wizard's oath to have you changed. I will give no such provision to Hank!"

"You ask so much of me, your highness!" Oscar protested. "First a transformation, and now a…a de-materialization?"

"Hmmm. You're right." The prince coldly replied. He then turned to the guards behind him, his tone both casual and cruel. "Throw the mule to the vines."

"No…!" Betsy surged forward, but the Wizard was barely able to grab and restrain her.

"HAAAAANK!" She then screamed out.

"_Silence, _mangaboo-to-be!" The prince scolded. "If it wasn't for my wizard speaking on your behalf, I would…"

Screams from nearby guards, however, interrupted the mangaboo ruler's attempt at discipline. "LOOK OUT! HE'S LOOSE!" One was heard saying. "Keep him away from the prin-OOF!" another guard cried out.

A braying sound was then heard, and the clopping sound that followed was drawing near to where the Wizard, the Prince, and Betsy were standing.

The prince shot a finger towards the approaching mule. "_Bring that beast under control! Now!_"

With Hank distracting the prince and the guards, the Wizard quickly turned Betsy to face him. "Now's our chance to pull that maiden! I've had _enough _of this prince!"

"Me too!" Betsy nodded, and they both rushed over to where the central stalk stood as Hank brayed and kicked in his wild rage, sending guards flying off with every strike of his rear and front hooves. He was putting on quite a show.

Hank was also, much to Betsy's surprise, _talking_. "No one gets a-hold o' ME, ya stupid potatoes!"

Betsy didn't let this sudden, unexpected outburst deter her from grabbing hold of the stalk and pulling as hard as they could, hoping the maiden would not be dug in too deeply.

Hearing the grunts of both his wizard and the girl, the eyes of the prince widened in horror as he diverted his gaze back to them. "No! STOP! LEAVE THAT STALK ALO…"

_WHAM! _Two hooves struck the prince right in the chest, sending the mangaboo monarch flying off a good distance from where he stood as Betsy and Oscar continued to pull with all their might at the stalk. Fortunately, they heard the sounds of snapping stems, and they felt a bit of movement at the maiden's hands as her closed eyelids began to flutter open.

"One more heave!" Oscar grunted. "I think…we…_have _her…!"

And with the next heave, the maiden was finally freed, completely, from the stems that had rooted her where she had been growing, and they heard a sweet voice coo out as she fell upon the Oklahoma girl. As the maiden hardly had any significant weight, Betsy reacted as if a pillow had fallen upon her.

"My star!" The maiden looked down upon Betsy's own surprised expression as the mangaboo heir spoke in her sugary-sweet tone. "I must have it!"

Betsy shrugged. "I don't have it…" She then gestured over to where the prince had been kicked away. "…but I know someone who does. C'mon, your highness…" The feisty Oklahoma girl rose to her feet and offered a hand to the maiden. "…lemme help you up."

As Betsy brought the maiden to her feet, Oscar turned to the guards with a melodramatic flourish. "All hail the _new _princess of the mangaboos!"

All mangaboo eyes in the area turned to the princess curiously…

…but they did not immediately comply, and instead looked warily to a now very clueless-looking Oscar Diggs.

Betsy wildly flailed her arms out, looking to the wizard, to get his attention. Once she had it, she began pointing to her head. "Th' _star!_" She whispered aloud.

"Wha…oh..OH! Yes! Silly me!" The Wizard blushed. "Y…You can't have a ruler without, uh, the Sacred Star of Rulership, can you? I should know! I used to be a realm ruler myself! Ah, yes, I could tell you all the most _amazing_ stories of that place…" He then caught sight of the Oklahoma girl's eyes rolling in irritation. "…uh, but I can share that with you all _later_. For the moment, we'll need to bring your prince 'round, if your new ruler is to have her…her _ruler_-ship, and rule as…as only a ruler can rule, and by that, I don't mean measurin' sticks!"

Betsy was already heading away from the area to find the fallen prince, looking around the general area. As she had her attention on the maiden as he and the Wizard had pulled her free, she did not see where the current ruler of the mangaboos had gone when Hank kicked him away.

Fortunately, Hank was on his way back over to Betsy, and the two warmly reunited once the mule had pulled the unconscious form of the prince over to where Oscar and the maiden awaited. It was hardly difficult for the mule to do, seeing as the prince was no different in body mass from any of the other mangaboos.

Oscar, Betsy, and Hank subsequently paid witness to the confrontation between the prince and the princess, who was discovered to be indeed ripe and ready for extraction from the soil, contrary to the sneaky prince's claims. Although visibly hesitant, the prince surrendered the star on his head with little protest, and when the star was placed upon the head of the new princess of the mangaboos, the subjects surrounding her lowered to a knee in acknowledgement to their new ruler. Oscar and his friends did similarly, Hank lowering his mule head while Betsy and the former Wizard of Oz lowered themselves in reverence.

While the former prince of the mangaboos was led off in the company of two guards, the princess turned to Oscar, who remained on bended knee.

"Rise." The princess gestured accordingly as she spoke.

"Well! If only _all _royal coronations were as simple as that, eh?" Oscar merrily mused, chuckling.

"Can't say it was borin', though." Betsy mused, patting Hank appreciatively.

"I will need to confer with my councillors so that I might catch up on the affairs of my people." The princess sweetly explained. "Consider yourselves our guests in the meantime. I shall have lodgings prepared for you. Please wait there until you are summoned."

"As you wish, your most exquisitely-cultivated majesty." The Wizard bowed respectfully as he spoke.

Once the princess stepped away, smiling, a pair of guards gestured for Oscar and his group to follow them.

"Layin' it on a lil' thick, aren't you?" Hank asked, in the low drone of his newfound speaking voice.

"Whaaaat? She's royalty!" The Wizard replied. "Just like _I_ used to be! Besides, my four-legged friend…a little kindness tends to go a long way in time-honored matters of royal etiquette!"

Betsy looked entirely amazed by the fact that the circus mule she had befriended was actually _speaking_. "Um…were you _always _able t' talk, Hank?"

"Talk?" Hank sounded confused. "Is that what I'm doin' that feels so strange?"

"Alas, my dear Betsy…the very air and atmosphere harmlessly cascading about us bears the ever-evident quintessence of _fairy _magic, or so Glinda once explained." Oscar replied, placing a hand upon the young girl's shoulder. "By virtue of their most compelling mass of enchantments, fertile ground can grow stalks of pure meat which can be exposed for culinary pursuits by peeling their thin protective shells to the sides as if they were bananas, the ever-unique climate of the land of the mangaboos provide for an unusually flotational means of conveyance…" The wizard then gestured to Hank. "…and the very animals we had taken for granted in their inability to be understood as you and I do may now achieve the very same means of vocal expression as the average human."

Betsy and Hank regarded Oscar with entirely baffled expressions.

Oscar just shrugged in his amusement. "That's just how it is!"

"So…Hank can talk 'cause of…fairy magic?" Betsy surmised aloud.

"Precisely!" The former Wizard of Oz confirmed. "And that amazing land should be far more colorful and prosperous now that the tyranny of the wicked witches is over! I placed the land in very good, capable, and above all, erudite hands before I left!"

"But if the land was so amazin', why'd ya leave it?" Hank asked.

Oscar's eyes drifted to the side, trying to come up with a way of responding he'd be comfortable with. It was one of his more regrettable and embarrassing moments, to have attempted to atone for being such a reclusive humbug by offering a lost young girl from Kansas a ride back home in his hot air balloon, only to lose control of it when the girl unexpectedly disembarked to recover her little black dog, who had himself leaped off excitedly to chase after a quadling woman's cat.

"Well, I, uhhhh…" Oscar began. "…I had an accident."

Betsy smiled. "I'm kinda glad y' did, Oscar. If y' didn't have that accident, I might nev'r have met you."

The old illusionist placed an arm around Betsy's shoulders, smiling tenderly. "And after everything you had been through at that horrible orphanage, my dear, I consider myself blessed that you would call me a friend."

This earned Oscar a tight hug from the happy Oklahoma girl as the group stopped in their tracks. The former wizard of Oz wrapped his own arms around the young acrobat as well in reciprocation of the affection.

Realizing that the guards leading them to whatever lodgings they were to be given, the group hurried over to keep up pace with the uniformed mangaboos.

The place that had apparently been chosen to serve as lodgings for the group was a fairly large white home with a single open doorway which was shaped like a fat, inverted turnip. Beyond the doorway, a single round table was in the center of the room, and round stools surrounded it. A long, waist-high ledge on the wall, which began at one end of the doorway, went around the circumference of the place's interior, and ended at the other, had a comfortable, cushiony surface upon it. The Wizard surmised this to serve as both a place to sit, and a place to rest.

After everything they had been through, Oscar and Betsy seized the opportunity to settle upon portions of the ledge to take a nap while they awaited the arrival of the new princess.

Only Hank remained awake, standing guard over the lodgings as his two human friends slept.

The group was left to themselves for most of the day. In fact, Hank noticed that the mangaboos passing their offered locale were consciously avoiding it. Young mangaboos stopping curiously were pulled away from Hank and the turnip-like living space by their older companions.

It was not until the sun had set and night had fallen that Hank spotted two individuals approaching him, and looking directly at him. One was an attractive middle-aged woman wearing a pretty purple dress, and the other was a portly, balding gent wearing a more aristocratic outfit with a pencil-thin mustache and a goatee that looked very much like a sharp knife pointing down from his chin.

It was the woman, however, who broke the silence once she stopped in front of Hank. "Your friends are in danger. I need to talk to them right away."

"Might need t' wait for that." The mule glanced over to their still-sleeping forms, and then turned back to the woman. "They've had a long an' tirin' day."

"If I don't talk to them," The woman, who like her companion looked much more human than the more artificial-looking comeliness of the other mangaboos, then warned. "the new princess of the mangaboos will see to it that they never awaken."

"They'll do the same to you, too." Her companion then gravely added.

* * *

"All current members of the guild please rise, and recite for me the Learning Guild's nine tenets." Headmistress Philomena H. Dee firmly requested once everyone in the guild…including Miss Dorothy…had been accounted for.

Dorothy repeated the tenets, in unison, with her fellow guildmates.

_I solemnly swear to be punctual and attentive at all times._

Philomena nodded. "Next?"

_I solemnly swear to be factual and cordial in my teaching duties._

Another nod from the Headmistress. "Next?"

_I solemnly swear to be kind and pleasant towards my chosen students._

"Next?"

_I solemnly swear to be firm and disciplinary towards students obnoxious and rude._

"Good, good. And the next?"

_I solemnly swear to be focused and thorough in the instruction of my chosen students._

Philomena nodded. "Continue."

_I solemnly swear to uphold the honor and dignity of this institution in both dress and manners within Munchkinland at all times._

"Outstanding. Next?"

_I solemnly swear to hold the people of Munchkinland, young and old, in the highest regard, above all other lands._

"Good, very good. Next?"

_I solemnly swear to maintain the honor and dignity of this institution, in both dress and manners, when visiting the other lands of Oz._

"Don't let that silly patchwork girl convince you all otherwise!" Philomena wagged her chubby finger warily unto her charges as she spoke this. "And finally…?"

_I solemnly swear to show complete loyalty, and the utmost respect, to the resident ruler of the land of Oz._

The Headmistress smiled, taking a quiet moment to look proudly upon her charges. She then broke her silence. "Please be seated."

Some of the tutors looked a little crestfallen as they all settled in. Dorothy, however, looked a little more curious. They all, however, had a mutual concern. Emergency meetings were rarely called during a weekend. Why was one being called now?

Perhaps Miss Ermengarde wanted to show off her prized student's newfound grasp of algebra? Or maybe Miss Adelaide had made a great scientific discovery through her theory-crafting with her bright but stuffy child prodigy, Ruprecht? Or perhaps there was to be a grand recitation…word for word…of the Magna Carta, which was a point of pride in the lessons offered to the students of the world history-obsessed Miss Libretta? Such were the showcases of past gatherings of the Guild, and while they were all generally pleasant to watch, it was nothing Dorothy had wanted to subject Tula to. Confrontations in front of the Learning Guild were almost always voluntary, and those that were not were usually meant to be punishments wrought upon problem students.

Although Tula required a firm voice at times, Miss Dorothy's student was otherwise well-behaved during their times together.

But the question remained. Why was there a meeting called during a weekend? It had to be some kind of serious matter, Dorothy thought. After all…_everyone _had been called in. Even the two Vice Headmistresses, and they had a habit for being no-shows at those "student showcases".

Philomena's typically straight and serious face, however, showed slight evidence of a smile as she spoke before her charges. "Fellow guildmates…of all the educators I have met in my time as the Headmistress of our Learning Guild, they have all paled in comparison to this most unique...and most impressively well-dressed…gentlebug."

Surprised expressions were now on the faces of the tutors in the room, and Dorothy's own expression was no different.

"Umm…pardon, Headmistress…" Vice Headmistress Magna Cumlaude raised a hand as she spoke. "…but, did I hear you correctly? Did you say…gentle _bug?_"

"Indeed, Miss Cumlaude…" Philomena replied, holding her head high and proud. "…and not only is the good Professor thoroughly educated, he is also highly magnified, too!"

Dorothy's hand went up now. "Begging your pardon, Headmistress…but how do you mean when you say he is 'thoroughly magnified'?"

"Well, I would say he was once about…yay…" Philomena held up a finger and a thumb to indicate a space the approximate size of a flea. "…big. But? When he was found and placed before Professor Nowitall's Projectoscope…"

At the mention of Nowitall's name, many gasps could be heard, and loud whispers between the munchkin tutors rudely interrupted the explanation of the Headmistress. Dorothy tried to shush and gesture for silence to her left and right, but the apparent awe upon hearing his name was far too evident.

In her two years serving as a munchkin tutor, Dorothy herself had heard the name, and the prestige associated with it. He was, as all of the tutors had currently whispered and gossiped, the smartest of all known Professors and educators on the _planet_. At least, by munchkin estimation. It was said that he knew so much that he feared sharing too much of his knowledge with anyone would result in terrible consequences, thus compelling him to lead a solitary existence. His current whereabouts, to date, are unknown. If this 'gentlebug' had been tutored by Nowitall himself? Even Dorothy knew that was a big deal.

The loud, repeated smacks of a thick, sturdy wooden ruler…and Philomena's _very _stern expression…quieted the room swiftly. "_AAAA-HEMMM!_" She called out loudly as the Headmistress banged her long ruler. Once she had complete silence, she continued, looking to the munchkin tutor who was once a human girl from Kansas. "As I was saying…when he was found and placed before Nowitall's Projectoscope, the thoroughly educated gentlebug was…" She then stopped herself for a minute, lost in a moment of thought…or perhaps an idea…and walked over to the door leading to the private quarters of the Headmistress. "…well, I fancy it's easier to show you all first-hand."

Rapping twice on the door, a moment of silence followed.

A human-sized insectoid the likes of which Dorothy Gale's eyes, human or otherwise, had never seen before opened the door and emerged from the room, walking with a confident stride towards the front of the room. His insectoid hands cleaned the circle-shaped lenses of a pair of glasses as the boggle-eyed, curly-nosed humanoid insect…who was indeed wearing what looked to be a very gentlemanly and elegant…and custom-made…three-piece suit. His long, insectoid legs extended down from a round body which did not have a pair of wings upon the back.

Philomena followed behind him as all the other seated tutors…including the Vice Headmistresses…gazed upon him in awe. Dorothy's own expression was one of raw curiosity and wonder. No different from the expressions she wore when she first laid eyes on a walking, talking scarecrow, and then a man with a body made entirely of tin, and then an uncharacteristically cowardly lion.

The Headmistress flourished to the gentlebug. "Fellow guildmates…I do hereby present to you, the Highly-Educated and Thoroughly-Magnified Professor Wogglebug."

"A most impressively well-informed elucidation of my most humble beginnings, esteemed Headmistress." The Wogglebug offered Philomena a respectful bow as he spoke, in a tone of voice which reflected his seemingly limitless reserves of knowledge. He then turned to the seated tutors. "Greetings and salutations, fellow educators! Hopefully, the legerdemain elucidated by your lovely Headmistress refrained from provoking too much of a baffle among you, eh?"

Some of the tutors had confused faces now as the Professor slowly paced back and forth, his eyes upon the first three rows of tutors. Some of the tutors with specialties in advanced vocabulary fully understood him, as did Dorothy.

Once the insectoid eyes of Professor Wogglebug settled on Dorothy's own eyes, they lingered. Stopping his pace, he moved in closer to the munchkin tutor as he placed the glasses he had been cleaning upon the bridge of his spiral-shaped nose.

"I…do beg your pardon, good munchkin…" The Wogglebug began. "…but your ocular signature bears more of an inclination towards a _human _origin. Might you, perchance, be Dorothy Gale, of the Kansas Gales?"

Dorothy smiled meekly as she blushed. "Yes, Professor. I…I'm honoring an oath I made to the Learning Guild. My time spent as a munchkin is almost over, though. I've been this way for…"

"…for two years, yes! The good Headmistress explained everything to me during our initial conversations." The Professor interjected. "Might I say, Miss Dorothy, that I find your perseverance in the honoring of your oath, in this most extraordinarily humbling manner, exemplary. I understand you, yourself, are to be tested in the knowledge you have amassed?"

Dorothy nodded. "I hope the Headmistress will find what I have learned satisfactory, Professor."

"Oh, but I intend to _personally _ascertain this, Miss Dorothy." The Professor ominously added. "And when one such as I arranges examinations, I do assure you, my little munchkin tutor, that I shan't pull a single punch upon your mental acumen!"

Dorothy couldn't help but swallow audibly, a nervous expression on her endearingly pudgy face, as the Professor pulled away. "But on to other matters…" He continued. "…I similarly intend to review the educational process itself! I fear that there is far too much reliance on exercising the mind, when there is far more to a humanoid frame than just the mind! So that I might challenge your varied thought processes, I might call upon you all to…"

Dorothy found herself only partially listening, as she was now worrying over the prospect of being tested by one educated by Professor Nowitall himself. As much as she felt she was able to retain much of the knowledges the Magic Glasses had provided to her during her tutoring process, there existed the very real possibility that Dorothy would be tested _without _the glasses. It seemed a matter of pure logic, after all, for Professor Wogglebug to make such a request.

Fortunately, Dorothy was able to catch what the insectoid Professor was requesting of the guild. He sought an alternate, and perhaps more effective, means of educating not just the munchkins of Munchkinland, but the people of Oz as a whole. She made a note of this using the pages of her own notebook. At the same time, she began to think on the possibilities themselves.

She then figured, after what she had learned about the Wizard's return, that Oscar Diggs would be the perfect person to talk to about such a thing.

It was just a matter of returning him to the land of Oz.

* * *

As the morning sun blazed upon the land of the mangaboos, its new princess had Oscar Diggs and his two companions standing before her. A sugary sweet expression was on the new monarch's face as she spoke.

"Good morning, my friends." The princess began. "I trust your lodgings suited you? Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Oh, your lodgings were _more _than adequate, your most illustrious majesty." The former wizard of Oz replied. He then gestured to the girl from Oklahoma. "Betsy found the cushions just as acceptable, didn't you, my dear?"

Betsy nodded to the princess, smiling. "Oh, yes. Slept as soundly as I've ev'r slept."

"Wonderful!" The princess chimed. "As you know, I have been in conversation with my council of advisors, and I have then been in discussion with some of our most well-regarded citizens, and we have all come to the same irrefutable conclusion."

Oscar and Betsy nodded in acknowledgement, awaiting the announcing of her findings with pleasant expressions on their faces.

The princess maintained her sugary sweet expression as she spoke. "The mangaboos will tolerate the infestation of your kind, and that of the furry, four-legged animal, _no further! _All three of you are a disease upon our society, and must henceforth be purged!"

Oscar, Betsy, and Hank blinked once in recognition of this 'conclusion'. Oscar and the Oklahoma girl glanced to each other. Apparently, the counsel and the warning their mysterious visitors had given them last night was just as real as they had insisted it was. Their heads then turned back to the princess.

"Oh!" Oscar sarcastically replied. "Lovely!"

"Ordinarily, we would cast such rancid infestations, such as yourselves, to the Clinging Vines to be squashed and ground into mulch." The princess sweetly explained. "However, since you have pulled me from the ground at the point of perfect ripeness, I will give all three of you a choice. Embrace the warm satisfactions and exultations of a most relieved crowd of mangaboos by allowing yourselves to be pulverized by the vines, or be cast upon the black pit, from which no living outcast has ever re-emerged!"

Oscar maintained his own cheery demeanor as he spoke. "That's most gracious of you, your highness! As you may very well be aware, our lot, be we a disease or otherwise, is the sort to take all kinds of chances, which we often refer to as 'gambles'. It typically behooves our kind to take such risks, lest we as a species fall into the far worse quagmire of indecision and fear that never truly moves us forward. Although I will admit that I have not often been a party to risks such as that which you currently offer us, your majesty, there's no better time than the present to take what we call a leap of faith…and what better place to take such a leap than to make it unto your most generously-offered black pit!"

The princess nodded, still smiling in her naturally cheery fashion, as Oscar spoke. Once he made his decision regarding the pit, the mangaboo monarch flourished her arms agreeably. "Wonderful! Then it is to the ominous uncertainty of the black pit that the three of you shall go, henceforth freeing us from your most undesirable infestation!"

This, of course, was the suggested fate their visitors of the previous evening had advised, for _they _were among those who had been banished, similarly, by the mangaboos. They chose the black pit, and found that it was actually a passage out of the land. A passage which, true to its identity, was covered in an inky blackness which held the very real possibility of unnerving those attempting to walk through it.

The strangers also noted that people so banished to the black pit could also be driven insane by the uncertainty of their fate while they were wrapped in the cold blackness of the passage.

Although it was nothing he himself was looking forward to, he was particularly worried about Betsy.

The three impending outcasts were led to a space that was a few feet from the black pit's entrance before they were stopped and grabbed by mangaboo guards.

"Oh! Please! There's no need to grab!" The Wizard wrested out of the grip of the guards, as did Betsy. He then turned to the princess. "If we may, your majesty, we would prefer to bravely step unto the uncertainty of this pit without any prodding from your guards. Not like we're being terribly _resistant,_ after all, yes?"

The princess thought on this, rubbing her chin. "Mmmmm…good point. Very well!" She cheerily replied. "We will, however, watch you go in. Upon this, you have no choice!"

"And we would be _honored _to have the eyes of you and your people upon us as we embrace our uncertain fates!" The Wizard replied.

Betsy offered a farewell wave, likewise emulating the Wizard's pleasant demeanor. "G'bye, your highness!"

The princess waved back, smiling sweetly, as did the other mangaboo citizens gathered in the area to see the intruders leave. "Farewell, foul diseases!" the monarch cutely cried as the trio began their approach to the pit. "And don't ever come back!"

"The extra mulch would have been nice, but at least you're leaving!" said another.

"Thank _goodness _I can grow my children in a plague-free environment again!" said another.

Watching from the furthest vantage point, clad in the worn remnants of his royal garb, was the former ruler of the mangaboos. With the star of rulership no longer on his head, he was nothing more than a commoner, and any mangaboos around him paid him no attention and no regard whatsoever.

Nevertheless, as he walked away from the banishing of the non-mangaboo strangers, he began to feel as if he were being watched. Paranoia set in quickly as his head darted around, warily, in all directions.

His home was only a few blocks away, and he began advancing towards it with more hurried steps.

Fortunately, he was able to reach it without anyone grabbing him angrily. Pulling the front door open with a relieved sigh, he stepped into the living room of a place which he knew he would not be able to hold onto for much longer, now that he was no longer the ruling monarch of the land.

Strong arms angrily slammed the former ruler upon one of his own walls, having grabbed him, angrily, from behind. Turning the now-frightened mangaboo to face him, the intruder…a slightly balding human wearing a mustache and a dagger-shaped beard who wore an aristocratic outfit…fixed a menacing gaze upon the deposed former monarch.

"Seems you have gone from useful to use_less_, vegetable." The angry human calmly noted. "Did I not advise you to _burn_ that stalk before anyone could pull it?"

"Bu…but that's clearly _forbidden!_" The mangaboo fearfully blubbered. "I figured I would get that court wizard to create a potion to pour into the ground beneath her which would have made her my _slave! OUR _slave! I beg of you…give me a little more time! I…I'm certain I can get that star of rulership back on my head!"

"A little more time, eh? Well, I suppose you've earned it for the time you've spent serving the interests of your First and Foremost." The intruder responded. "But I'm afraid you're going to have to give me something before I can give you the time you're asking for."

The intruder's grip then tightened to the point where they were digging deep into the potato-like mass beyond the mangaboo's outer skin, and the treacherous former monarch now began to fear for his life as his eyes widened.

But fear meant nothing to the irredeemably evil and hungry phanfasm, who took exactly what he wanted from the meal in his hand.

The mangaboo was never seen again.


	3. III: Hearts and Minds

**III: Hearts and Minds**

As per the instructions of their mysterious benefactors, Oscar and Betsy held hands, while Betsy's free hand settled upon the mule directly next to her. They then took slow steps into the inky blackness in front of them.

Swallowed whole by a terrifying void where all human sense was useless, they nevertheless clung to what they had been told. Keep going forward. Do not move in any other direction. Maintain grips, even if it feels like you're not holding on to anything anymore.

Slow movement was also advised. As was complete silence, and the concentration that should go with it.

It was admittedly terrifying. Reserves of human patience and endurance were tested while lost to this terribly unpleasant void. Concentrate on moving forward. Always forward.

Forward.

Forward.

Forward.

Even if it felt like the void was to be endless.

Forward.

_Forward!_

Finally, human senses began to return. Betsy felt a human hand holding tightly to her left hand, and she felt the fur of a mule's back beneath the palm of her right.

The mule, however, was shivering frightfully.

The blackness in their eyes became a soft white blur, which slowly sharpened to crystal clarity. They then felt their feet beneath them, and they began to hear the pressure in their ears clear, catching the sound of their footwear crunching on raw soil, and the sound of Hank's hooves clopping upon it as well.

The ordeal was over, and Oscar now understood why they were told of people banished to the black pit going insane. The pressure and the anxiety obviously consumed their sanity in the end.

As brave and as feisty as Betsy was, she could not help but feel a little frightful after emerging from the void of the pit's long tunnel. Oscar could clearly feel the Oklahoma girl's hand shaking nervously.

Oscar, with an equally nervous expression, looked to Betsy. He gave her hand a tight squeeze to get her attention once all of their natural senses had been restored.

No response. Betsy just stared forward quite nervously, as if she had seen a ghost.

Having some knowledge of his agile companion's less-than-pleasant days and nights at the orphanage, Oscar's concern was immediate. "Betsy?"

No response. She just continued walking forward, staring like a zombie.

Slowly, Oscar brought a hand over to touch the frightened girl's shoulder. The moment she felt the hand upon her, her head jerked over to gaze upon the old man with wide, startled eyes.

"Shhhhh…relax. It's only me!" Oscar gently assured, their forward movement stopping for the moment as they faced each other. "We're safe now."

"Nnn…nno more c-closet?"

The former Wizard of Oz knew just what that meant as he pulled Betsy in for another tight, consoling embrace. "Noooo! No! No more closet!" He assured once again, rubbing gently at the back of the Oklahoma girl's neck. "Don't you worry, Betsy Bobbin. There'll be no more closets and no more cruel orphanage punishments…or cruel orphanages, for that matter…in your future if the former wizard of Oz has anything to say about it!"

Oscar had a feeling the enchanted darkness of the pit might bring up the anxiety Betsy had whole-heartedly believed she had suppressed since escaping the orphanage. As the Oklahoma girl had been brought there in the wake of the death of her parents, harsh overseers found Betsy's rebellious behavior difficult enough to warrant punishments, the worst of which was a dark and empty closet that they habitually locked troublemakers into for days, if not many hours. He figured she would come out of the generally harrowing experience of getting through the magical void of the Black Pit with the inner conviction of her being able to endure the experience intact.

For the moment, he hoped the relapse would be temporary.

"Deeep breaths, that's it." Oscar rubbed at her back, still holding the gentle embrace until she pulled away. "Y' know, in my time in the land of Oz, I met a huge lion…a true king of the beasts…who had a cowardice problem. The way you leaped in and grabbed that mangaboo's sword to save my life, I think _you_ could teach that ol' fraidy-cat a thing or two about courage!"

This visibly made Betsy feel better.

"Oooh! Is that a _smile_ I see on my brave protector's lips? I should hope so!" He put an arm around a giggling Betsy's shoulders as they resumed their advance to the rendezevous their mysterious visitor had spoken of. She had said that it would be just over a hill about a mile from the other end of the Black Pit…

…and there she was, waving to them. In her right hand was a basket containing what looked like peaches. As they moved in closer, they saw that the peach-like contents of the basket rested on an arrangement of large green leaves, each of which had a tiny layer of fuzz upon the surfaces. In the light, the fuzz on these leaves seemed to sparkle.

"Seems you were true to your word." Oscar remarked as the woman handed him one of the peach-like fruits.

"What're these?" Betsy then asked.

"Perfectly harmless, and quite tasty." The woman replied as she handed another of them to the curious Oklahoma girl.

"Y'never told us your name, y'know." Hank warily reminded.

"But you do trust me now, yes?" The woman held out another of the fruits to Hank's muzzle. "Have I not forewarned you of their judgment? I did tell you that they would react unfavorably towards you, yes?"

"They did indeed want us out," The Wizard looked over the fruit. "and over something as silly as…as…potato-purity!" Frowning over the apparent outrageousness of the situation, he bit into a portion of the fruit and began chewing on its juicy and delicious content. Blinking over how tasty the fruit was, he ripped another portion of the fruit from its source.

Betsy, however, looked surprised when she glanced curiously to Oscar. "Hey! Where'd he go?"

Oscar frowned in confusion, seeing Betsy look around in confusion. "Where did _who _go? Me?" He looked down at himself. "I'm right here!"

The young girl's baffled gaze finally looked in the old former wizard's direction. "I can _hear _you, sure…but I can't…_see _you?"

"I can't see you eith'r." Hank confirmed.

"Such is the benefit of the dama-fruit." The woman revealed. Any who eat the fruit cannot be seen by the naked eye, although they can see anyone else who has eaten it. They will show up as bright white silhouettes." The woman then bit into the fresh dama-fruit she had offered to Hank, and as Oscar watched, her visible form did indeed become a bright white apparition. "Do you see me, Mr. Diggs?"

Oscar nodded. "Practically a ghost, but you're still there."

Betsy crunched into her dama-fruit, although she found the taste to be a little more bitter, and her face began to reflect this reaction before it was washed over white in Oscar's eyes. Hank clopped over to the basket so his mule teeth could grab another dama-fruit, which he similarly devoured. Betsy saw his furry, four-legged frame go white as well.

The woman then lowered the wicker basket, and carefully pulled the large, furry leaves out of it. She then draped them upon the sash she wore at her waist. "Now if you see any other four-legged creature that looks like us, you'll want to stay as far away from it as you can. Even if they approach you."

"Are y' gonna get us back where we came from?" Betsy asked. "Ol' man Henderson's gon' be awful worried 'bout us, Oscar."

"He probably thinks we're dead by now, Betsy." Oscar responded. "Casualties of the earthquake, no doubt." He then looked to the woman. "I…don't suppose you would know anything about a land called…Oz, would you?"

The woman's white silhouette nodded. "It is surrounded by land on all sides, but yes."

"And a rather inconveniently dangerous desert, as well." Oscar added, turning to Betsy. "One step upon those sands, and you _become _a mound of sand."

"Is there any way across it?" Betsy asked. "I'd like t' see this place y' keep talkin' 'bout."

Oscar placed a hand on his young companion's shoulder. "If we can get there from here, my young protector, I promise you. I _will _take you and Hank there." He then glanced to the woman. "Although it would certainly be more convenient if we had a hot air balloon."

"We should get moving. Stay quiet, too." the woman advised. "Although those bears track by scent, you don't want to make it easier for them to find you by making any noise."

"An' if they catch up t' us?"

"Then you do what most others do when confronted with a hungry bear, Betsy." Oscar replied. "Lie down, and play dead."

"And hope they're not _too _hungry." The woman added as she began leading them further from the opposite end of the Black Pit, which was soon very far behind them.

As they continued moving, they did indeed see bloated, four-legged white silhouettes scattered sporadically around the landscape the quartet traversed. They made every effort to keep as quiet as possible. Fortunately, most of the foraging bears had their backs turned to the group, and those that didn't were at a safe enough distance.

Oscar's silence, however, was interrupted by the loud snap of a branch he had stepped upon, and he froze in place, his eyes wide. The others similarly stopped, their bright white heads turning to the old man. After a moment, he took another quiet step, hoping a nearby trio of bears did not catch the sound.

Betsy and the woman, however, saw the four-legged white silhouettes begin to approach Oscar from behind.

It was clear now that their cover was blown. "RUN!" The woman cried out.

With a roar, the bears began to quicken their pace as the quartet of invisible travelers began their wild retreat from the angry ursine trio.

As they ran, Hank slowed his pace and maneuvered himself in front of Oscar. "Get on!" He called out.

Although his mounting was awkward, given his somewhat portly body, the old man was able to right himself upon the mule's back as Hank attempted to keep pace with Betsy and the woman.

One of the three bears, however, was perilously close to Betsy. The fleeing girl could hear how close the bear was. Wherever the woman was leading the group, she knew she wouldn't make it.

Her legs were tiring out, as well.

Instinct set in, and she raced towards a tall tree with a low branch. With as strong a leap as she could manage, her hands grabbed a sturdy branch and she maneuvered herself upon it. Realizing the branch was within leaping distance of the bear, she spotted a higher branch and carefully made her way towards it. The two bears below lingered for a little bit, growling their protests until they finally gave up the hunt.

As her attention had diverted considerably from the others, Betsy looked to the distance, and saw that the two white silhouettes that she knew to be her companions were now very far from the tree she was hiding in. The third bear, which had been following them, had also given up the chase, but did not divert to the tree Betsy had chosen to occupy.

Although she was now more or less safe from the threat posed by the bears, Betsy sighed as she felt the effect of the dama fruit…which had lingered a slight tingle in her fingertips in its duration…evaporated. Gazing into the distance from her vantage point upon the tree branch, and having the advantage of the late morning daylight, she saw that there were other trees she could divert to, but it meant running across a stretch of open terrain.

And with the effect of the dama-fruit gone, she had no way of knowing if there were any invisible bears in that area.

It was, however, a chance she had to take.

Carefully maneuvering herself back down to the ground, Betsy kept quiet as she began moving through the open field. It occurred to her, too, that she had the disadvantage of not knowing where the woman was taking Oscar to. She could only hope it would be to this place he called Oz, and perhaps he could use the connections he boasted about there to possibly get someone to come out and take her out of the predicament she was now in.

Fortunately, the weather was comfortably breezy as she made her way across the field. She tried not to make too much noise as she moved, but she could not help but maintain her hurried pace.

Halfway to the tree she was approaching, however, she heard the curious grunt of a nearby animal, which she knew to be one of the bears. Betsy heard its paws crunching quickly towards her as she dropped to the ground and stayed very, very still, closing her eyes and breathing very, very slowly.

She had to rely on her hearing, and any contact the beast made, to be able to ascertain how long Betsy needed to remain where she was. She made every effort to keep herself from being very nervous, despite this undeniably perilous moment.

She certainly hoped she would not feel the bear's fanged maw hungrily and painfully clamp down on one of her limbs!

For the moment, she felt a wet nose begin sniffing around her ear as the bear began examining this unmoving form. Stay calm, she demanded to herself. _Stay calm!_

Betsy then felt a large paw push at the body, possibly checking for any sign of movement. The Oklahoma girl did not give the ursine predator such a benefit. She hoped her ability to play dead would get her through this.

A snort and a growl followed as the bear began to sniff around Betsy. She felt the air bursts from the beast's moist nose whiff around her arms, her hands, down along her legs, and then to the other leg. Once the nose was on the other side of her head, she felt the claws on her paw lightly rake against her face, and then push upon her head curiously.

Betsy could hear the bear's breath. It was the only way she could ascertain that the beast was still checking her. Another ursine growl followed, perhaps one of frustration, and she heard the beast begin to distance itself from Betsy.

She remained still, however, as she heard _another _bear's growl in a different direction.

It was a terrible situation for her to be in. Trapped in an open field, with invisible bears prowling about. Betsy began to wonder if she would make it out of this area alive at all.

If a nagging instinct to make a break for the nearest tree was any indication, she wondered if she would make it out in one piece, at the very least. She was tired out, though, and attempting to outrun such a beast was not a viable option at all.

She had no choice, for the moment, but to lie still, and hope they would leave her alone.

An hour passed, and the breezes were beginning to make her shiver.

Swallowing her concerns, Betsy began to move slowly. The hour of unprovoked stillness was the most rest she felt she could manage, and she hoped it would be enough to get to the closest tree safely.

Betsy expected to hear a loud and angry growl behind her as she moved. The uncertainty of her fate was unbearable as she attempted her silent steps. When she felt she was close enough to run and jump for another sturdy low branch, she seized the initiative and launched herself towards the tree, tossing caution to the winds.

Although she expected to feel a bear's paw strike her down, she made it to the tree branch and swung up onto it.

This, however, attracted the attention of an old man…resting against the other side of the tree…that Betsy did not see. Leaping up from his sitting position, holding a long, smoking pipe in one hand, the old man took a few steps back and angled his head upwards.

Just at the moment when the branch Betsy initially believed to be sturdy began to creak and crack. Losing her balance, the Oklahoma girl shrieked as she slipped off the collapsing branch…

…and fell right into the arms of the surprisingly strong old man.

Betsy gasped as she looked upon the twinkling eyes of this stranger, whose thick gray whiskers were the longest the girl had ever seen. So long, that he had to tie them around his waist!

"Uhh…" She could not help but be nervous, being in the arms of someone she did not know. "…thank y' kindly for catchin' me. Could y' please put me down?"

The old man lingered his curious gaze upon the girl for a quiet moment before nodding slowly, and lowering the Oklahoma girl to the ground. The somewhat unpleasant odor around this man forced her to let out a brief coughing fit once she was on her feet, after which she noticed that the old man had a pipe in one of his tough-looking, calloused hands.

The gray-haired man also wore a soiled and scratched leather apron, which extended from his neck all the way down to his feet. Behind him, near the tree, was a large copper chest, and his broad, turned-up nose sniffled once as he quietly regarded the young girl.

"If…*_koff_*…y' don't mind my sayin' so, sir…" Betsy remarked, gesturing to the pipe. "…I hear that kinda thing ain't very healthy."

The old man answered in a growly voice. "What, the pipe? Bah! It's my own choice. Not like I'm gonna _die _from it, eh?"

"Oth'rs have though, sir." Betsy countered. "Smokin's not good…*_koff_*…for th' lungs."

The old man frowned curiously, appearing a little insulted. "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

Betsy crossed her arms, frowning back. "You first."

The old man shrugged. "Fair enough. I'm Johnny Dooit. I'm from…" He looked around the area for a moment before returning his eyes to the girl. "…well, I'm from anywhere and everywhere. Been working so long and so hard, I don't even remember where I was born." He chuckled in his amusement, and then fired an index finger to Betsy, his expression going serious. "_Your _turn."

"I'm Betsy Bobbin, from Oklahoma."

"Ah-_haaaah_." Johnny nodded, smiling. "_That's _why you think smoking is bad…and if you lived outside of these nonestic lands, you'd be right!"

"Sorry?" Betsy frowned confusedly. "No-nestic lands?"

"Yup! Ev, Merryland, Noland, Ix, the Valley of Voe, Boboland…they're all a part of the nonestic lands." He flourished his equally calloused arms to the sides as he spoke. "Lands enchanted by fairy bands a long time ago, which means you and I can smoke this pipe for _years_ without worrying about our lungs." He then held the pipe out to Betsy. "Wanna try it?"

"Uh…no, thank you." Betsy raised her hands in restraint. A thought then occurred to her. "Say…can y' tell me if a place called _Oz _is one o' th' no-nestic lands?"

To Betsy's relief, Johnny nodded. "Yes! Just need to go a little further north into the land of Ev, then turn towards the desert side separating Ev from the Winkie Country."

"But…isn't th' des'rt dangerous?" Betsy asked, remembering what Oscar had said. "I heard it turns anyone steppin' into it into sand."

Johnny nodded, a grave expression on his face. "That, it does. So…how were you thinking of getting across it?"

Betsy sighed, her shoulders drooping along with her head. "I don't know. I was hopin' a friend o' mine would take me there…but we got split up. I don't know where he went, an' it was hard enough goin' through this field without bein' eat'n by those bears."

"Well, you won't have to worry about those bears now." Johnny assured. He then presented his pipe. "I puffed out the smoke from some of the Unbearibull herbs I collected from the crags near Mount Phantastico. Those bears can't stand the scent."

"It _does _smell kinda yucky." Betsy admitted.

"Does it?" Johnny frowned in his curiosity. "You're not an Oklahoma bear turned into a human, are you?"

Betsy giggled at this. "No, no. I'm jus' not th' smokin' type is all."

The old man nodded. "So…you got separated from your friend, and there's not an alternate means of travel for miles…I guess I'll have to _make _us a means to get us over that desert, eh?"

The Oklahoma girl blinked, her eyes going wide. "Can y' do that?"

"Why do ya think they call me Johnny Dooit?" The old man replied, stepping over to the copper chest, and unlatching its restraints. "Because I can do _anything!_"

Opening the chest revealed a shining array of various tools, all of which were quite magnificent in their craftsmanship. The first implement he pulled was a large axe, and he went right over to the tree Betsy had fallen from.

Humming a tune Betsy could not recognize, but which sounded pleasant enough, Johnny's axe repeatedly bit into the thick wood of the tree with alarming speed, practically with the rat-a-tat rhythm of a machine gun!

Betsy's jaw dropped in her disbelief.

"TIMMM-BERRR!" He called out as the tree toppled to the ground. Johnny was on the fallen tree once it landed, chopping it into three sections within moments. He rolled one of the larger sections over to the visibly amazed Betsy, glancing at her with a sly wink and an amused smile.

The Oklahoma girl continued to stare in slack-jawed amazement as Johnny worked, and worked, and worked. He was no slouch, either, as he was working and moving so fast that it was entirely difficult to follow his movements. The two wood sections of the tree he had near him were being shaped into parts, and parts were being connected, and used tools were being tossed back into the chest in exchange for another tool…and any nuts, bolts, or screws that were needed…that he rushed over to collect. Not a single bead of sweat rolled from the man's forehead, either.

Once Johnny dropped the last tool he used back into his chest, the implement falling right into its properly-positioned housing, Betsy paced slowly around the vehicle he had completed building, staring at it in her total bewilderment.

As the old man chopped and shaped the large tree portion he had Betsy watch over, the amazed young girl saw that Johnny had created a boat-shaped vehicle with four large wheels on each side. Looking into the interior portion of the boat, she saw that the wheels were dependent on a pedal mechanism. The pedal-handlebar arrangement was quite familiar to that of a typical bike. A steering handlebar and levers could also be seen.

And the entire mechanism…gears and all…were made of the very sturdy wood of the tall tree Johnny had cut down.

"She's a beaut, isn't she?" Johnny's voice startled Betsy, who gasped aloud as the old man gazed upon his own handiwork with a satisfied grin. "This Sand-Skiff should slide us right across the sandy wastes…but I'm gonna need your help to get us there, Betsy. Do you know anything about pedaling?"

"Sure! I can ride bikes." Betsy confirmed. "I can go real fast, too, if I'm not too tired."

"Good, good." Johnny gestured to the pedal arrangement, which conveniently had a wooden stool surface for Betsy to sit upon. "Just pedal us in _that _direction…" He gestured to the northern horizon. "…until I tell you to turn. When you do, keep going until you reach the desert's edge. Once we're there? I'll take over and you can get some rest. Is it a deal?"

"You betcha!" Betsy raised an extended thumb in confirmation. "Jus' one lil' probl'm, though." She then rubbed at her flat tummy.

At first, Johnny frowned…and then it hit him. "You're hungry? Ah, OK. Tell ya what. I'll get us to a farming settlement in Ev. There's a farmer there who owes me a favor. You just get on in and you can get an idea of how these pedals work. Once you're all fed and rested, though, you'll be taking over for me until we get to the desert. Sound good?"

Again, Betsy raised a thumb. "You betcha. Thanks!"

Once she was aboard the Sand-Skiff, and Johnny got the vehicle moving at a brisk speed, it now occurred to Betsy that there was something oddly familiar about this stranger called Johnny Dooit. Like she had seen him before. A long time ago.

She dimly remembered that the man was as much a workaholic as Johnny was, too, and Betsy liked to watch this man work. As uncanny as the circumstances were, however, there was no way she could reconcile Johnny Dooit with the man she thought he was, though, in any way despite the similarities in appearance that they shared.

Since, after all, her father was dead.

* * *

With the weight of Oscar Diggs on his back, Hank was particularly tired out in their wild flight from the pursuing bears. Luckily, the trio was able to distance themselves enough from the ursine predators to compel them to give up the hunt. A few minutes after they had begun to slow to a halt, the effect of the dama-fruit wore out, and they became entirely visible to the naked eye once more.

One thing, however, was on the minds of the mule and his dismounting burden.

"We can't leave here without Betsy!" Oscar reminded their female benefactor.

"We've got t' go back for her." Hank added.

The woman, however, looked skeptical. "A little girl against those bears? She's got no chance."

The mule clopped menacingly towards the woman. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that, Miss whoev'r-you-are."

Oscar also advanced upon the woman with a more suspicious expression. "That's right! We didn't get your name, did we?"

The woman looked a little intimidated by these two individuals she had saved, and she began to take a couple of steps back. "Now _wait _a minute. I save your lives, and this is the thanks I get? Look…I had nothing to do with your young friend falling off back there, but we'd have to wait until the late afternoon before we could go back and search for her…and without dama-fruit, there's no way she could spot those bears before they attacked."

"Then that's exactly what we're gonna do!" Oscar remarked, his tone firm and resolute.

"An' you still haven't answer'd our question." Hank reminded.

"_Everlaine_." She finally replied. Her expression became a little more apologetic. "Look…I know this is tough to accept about your young friend, but…well, let me make it up to you. I know some friends who might be able to help us out. Very powerful friends. We can feed you both, and then we can set out during the late afternoon when the bears are hunting in the lands to the east of where we were. I think we'd stand a better chance against those bears with a small army at our backs, don't you think?"

Oscar thought on this. As she now revealed her identity to them, and in the understanding that Everlaine had saved their lives...not once, but twice…his expression softened a little. Neither of them were very appreciative of the woman's belief that Betsy was a lost cause, however, but she was more of a native to the lands they were in compared to Oscar and Hank. Was there more to the cunning and the ferocity of those bears than they initially surmised?

"All right, Everlaine. We'll go with you." Oscar finally answered, despite a wary glance from Hank. "But we're standing firm when we say we're not leaving here without finding Betsy. Dead, or alive. Understand?"

The woman raised a hand. "Yes, yes. Fully understood." She then turned in a direction facing a mountain range in the distance, and began walking. "Now follow me. It's a bit of a walk from where we are now."

Intentionally walking with slower steps, Oscar and Hank matched pace and were side by side. Everlaine kept up her own pace, occasionally glancing behind her to see that she was still being followed by the ones she had been protecting..

"I'm gettin' hungry." Hank quietly admitted. "Wherev'r she's takin' us, I hope we get there soon."

"I feel the same way, Hank." Oscar noted. "At least, we don't have to worry much about invisible bears anymore."

As Oscar spoke, a rumbling noise could be heard, and it was getting louder. Headed in their direction. Even Everlaine had to stop as the rumbling drew near.

The rumbling was revealed to be the hoofbeats of a group of mounted soldiers, all of them clad in glistening, beautiful suits of armor plating. One of them held a banner aloft which Oscar squinted to try and make out, hoping that his time spent as the ruler of Oz would help him identify it.

Unfortunately, the banner was moving around too much and he could not get a fix on its design.

The mounted knights slowed their pace and began to surround the trio, clopping in a counter-clockwise direction before the more prominent of the knights stepped in to address the travelers, pushing the visor of his helmet up to reveal a bearded, frowning face.

Oscar was the first to speak, affecting a cordial tone as he bowed respectfully. "Greetings, mighty knights of…well, wherever-you-came-from…I wonder if you have heard of the great and powerful wi…"

"You will all stand fast." The bearded soldier suddenly ordered, in a voice most firm and commanding, as he drew a broad, shining blade from its scabbard. "You will submit to inspection. Make no unwise moves. You are surrounded!"

The old man felt entirely intimidated by this soldier's tone as he shrank back. "Oh! Well…of course. However you wish to…to inspect us…"

"We are in a terrible rush, Captain." Everlaine then interjected. "This is entirely inconvenient. A young girl's life is in grave danger!"

"Then I should hope she can hold out while you are all inspected." The Captain replied, as he held his sword out towards Hank. The many soldiers surrounding them then lowered long metal spears out towards the rest of the group, holding them at bay as the Captain slowly approached the mule.

Oscar's eyes were logically upon Hank, worried as to what this 'inspection' was all about. Was this about the mangaboos, perhaps? Had they violated some law they were not aware of?

The blade neared Hank, who looked ready to begin going just as wild as he did when he fought off attacking mangaboos. The flat of the blade, however, merely rubbed against the furry hide of the mule's back, and Hank looked a little more at ease at the feel of the obviously enchanted weapon.

The Captain nodded, pulling the beautifully-designed sword away from the relieved mule. He then brought the blade over to where Oscar stood.

Everlaine confided quietly to Oscar as the soldier pulled his blade away from Hank. "See how it soothes your beast friend. The mule is now under his spell…and _you _are next."

"Quiet!" One of the surrounding soldiers barked out.

As the blade moved towards Oscar, he began to step back…but his back felt a sharp spear tip press into him. Fear now played on the old man's face as the Captain's blade contacted his cheek. Oscar squinted his eyes shut, hoping to resist any spell this blade would inflict on him.

The blade, however, was comfortably warm to the touch, and was indeed quite soothing. It became apparent that he had no reason to fear these men, and Oscar's expression softened once again.

The Captain nodded. "Good, good." He then moved the blade towards Everlaine.

Her reaction, however, was a bit more dramatic. Her face twisted to a scowl, and she looked _very_ defensive as the blade approached her. Spears moved towards her threateningly as spears from two other guards positioned themselves protectively in front of both Oscar and Hank.

The woman's face now began to bulge and mutate out of shape as the blade neared her. "Your Queen should mind her own _business!_" She suddenly growled, in a somewhat inhuman voice. Whipping her arms around to swat away the spears, Oscar and the mule watched in shocked surprise as the head of the woman…who was apparently becoming a little more masculine in build…began to assume a far different shape. The nose turned up, and large yellow tusks grew from a large muzzle which grew out with its now-porcine snout. Its now pointed ears moved to the top of its head, and its feminine curves were gone as the boar-headed creature ripped off its purple gown, revealing a man's hairy body, clad only in a loincloth.

"The erbs are everyone's business, phanfasm." The Captain calmly replied, holding out his now glowing sword towards the boar-headed deceiver. "These are the words of our Queen…and if you value your miserable, unrepentant existence, you will tell us _why_ you venture beyond the boundaries of your hidden empire."

The monster fired a clawed finger towards Oscar. "Give us the charlatan," The phanfasm growled. "and your Queen's kingdom shall be spared the coming storm of vengeance!"

"The charlatan remains with us, monster. As will the mule." The soldier replied. "There will be no negotiation."

The phanfasm chuckled ominously at this. "Then I guess we'll just have to find their little girl on our own, won't we?" It then turned its hateful eyes toward Oscar. "You should have _trusted _me, con man! You are no _different _from us!"

"I'm _nothing _like you, foul erb!" Oscar defiantly proclaimed. "_Begone!_"

Another chuckle emerged from the muzzle of the creature as one hand moved towards a glistening object upon a finger of the humanoid's other hand. "As you wish."

"KILL IT QUICKLY!" The Captain shouted, raising his sword to strike…

…but the sword's path made no contact with the phanfasm's flesh. The creature was already gone, no doubt relocating itself through the power of a magic ring no one had noticed.

"Miserable, cowardly cretin!" Oscar loudly observed as the spear in front of him was pulled away.

"I _knew _there was somethin' not right about that woman." Hank added, the spear protecting him similarly withdrawn.

The Captain finally dismounted from his steed, slipping his sword back into its sheath. He then stepped towards Oscar. "My apologies for the inconvenience, travelers. I am Alix, Captain of the Queen's Guard in the land of Ix."

"Oscar Zoroaster Phaedrig Issac Norman Henkel Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs, at your service, sir." He gave the Captain a cordial bow, and then gestured to the mule. "Oh…and this is Hank."

"We had a young girl with us, Cap'n." The mule remarked. "Her name is Betsy. We lost 'er in a field full of invisible bears."

"Let us hope she is cunning enough to evade them, then." Alix replied. "Sadly, we must now turn our attention elsewhere. That phanfasm threatened a coming storm, and we must begin investigating that claim. We can, however, leave you at the home of the woman the creature was impersonating. By the looks of you both, you could use a bit of food."

"I…don't suppose you have a little something for Hank?" Oscar asked. "Perhaps…a spare ration or two? I should be able to hold out until we get to this place you mean to take us to."

Alix gestured to one of the soldiers. "Sergeant Garetrix…one of the Queen's apples. Surrender one unto the mule."

Garetrix clopped over to Hank, pulling a large, perfect red apple from a saddlebag. Crunching into the very healthy-looking offering, Hank felt a rush of renewed strength fill his tired-out limbs, and his eyes widened as the Sergeant smiled. "Wow! That hit th' spot for sure! Thanks!" He then clopped over to Oscar. "You can get back on me now, if ya want."

Once Oscar was mounted, Alix re-mounted and re-directed his horse to the horizon at his left. "To the fields of Farmer Evolwyn, then!" He called out.

As much as both Oscar and Hank were worried for Betsy's safety, their worries swiftly evaporated when they reached the farm, and saw a very relieved-looking Betsy Bobbin…completely unharmed…racing towards them with her arms extended.

Farmer Evolwyn…who was a well-built old man with curly white sideburns and a white goatee…stepped out alongside Johnny Dooit as Betsy wrapped his arms around Oscar in their warm reunion. Just behind them both, also watching the reunion, was the woman the phanfasm had disguised itself as: Evolwyn's smiling wife, Everlaine.

"More friends of yours?" Evolwyn asked.

Johnny shrugged, smiling. "They are now."

* * *

Given the many times that Dorothy had accepted the offers that Boq, the Mayor of Munchkinland, made to ride with him in his personal taxi, she was used to its comforts and its exquisite and spacious design as well. The first time she had accepted, however, it was an amazingly posh experience compared to the various other taxis that went in and around the land of Oz from the Emerald City.

At the same time, she had observed that most other times, the Mayor rode alone to his various stops in and around his requested destinations. During those rides, much of the conversations between them were casual, and if it was not about Dorothy's ongoing progress with Tula, it was about various matters in Munchkinland that Boq wanted the munchkin tutor's opinion about. Many was the occasion that the Mayor found Dorothy's advice entirely helpful, and he always took the former human's words as seriously as if they came from the princess Ozma herself.

But there was one matter, in all of the two years they had become acquainted with each other, that was never covered in great detail, and that was why Boq had taken such an interest in Dorothy since she was turned back into a munchkin by Ozma to fulfill her oath to the Learning Guild.

The only person she felt might know a little more than what the Scarecrow could tell her about Boq(since the perpetually chipper Mayor otherwise kept to himself) was, oddly enough, the Munchkinland coroner, who she had discovered was otherwise ordained an AMA(an Advisor of Munchkinland Affairs). Particularly with the announcement that no one could grow old, or die, in Oz by virtue of the proclamation made by the princess Ozma upon becoming the land's new ruler.

Dorothy didn't feel that Glinda was an option, as Glinda was logically disturbed by the Kansas girl becoming a munchkin to begin with. The Good Witch of the South habitually frowned on transformation magic, but she could make no protest over it given Ozma's support of the fulfillment of Dorothy's oath. Glinda just had to accept that, for two years, Dorothy Gale would be one of the munchkins. To intervene on this would be seen as a violation of Ozma's authority, and although Glinda was the ordained vassal of the southern Quadling Country and the most powerful sorceress in the entire land, she would never counteract Ozma's decisions without approval from Ozma herself.

As the decision to have Dorothy fulfill her oath to the Learning Guild was partially pushed by her coven-sister, Locasta…the Good Witch of the North…to begin with, Dorothy nevertheless kept the kind old woman out of it as well. Even though she was herself well-acquainted with the munchkins for a time. Perhaps it was out of the understanding that the now human Locasta needed time to be alongside her fellow gillikins in the northern Gillikin Country for the time being, and not bother her with matters like this.

The Cowardly Lion? Far too busy with matters involving the Legion of Courage. Nick Chopper? Too busy being the Emperor of the winkies.

It had to be the Coroner.

Or, perhaps, the Mayor himself, if Dorothy felt bold enough.

For the moment, however, her curious glance to the Mayor rewarded her with a return glance, and another of Boq's charming smiles, coupled with a courteous nod of acknowledgement.

Dorothy returned her own very sweet and genuine smile, looking very, very charming as she flashed her cute grin.

"I understand your tutelage of young Tula is about to draw to a close?" Boq then asked.

Dorothy nodded. "Her exams are next week, your Honor."

Boq nodded. "And I have no doubt in my mind that she will perform admirably. As I understand it, she has become very well educated through your curriculum. Most amazing that you would distinguish yourself not only as the brave champion of our people, but also as an able scholar as well."

The munchkin tutor blushed at this, and she could feel the redness in her cheeks, which was far more noticeable upon munchkin skin compared to a human's. "Oh, thank you, your Honor. You're entirely too kind."

"And what shall become of our trend-setting educator next?" The Mayor then asked. "Are you to select another young mind to develop as well as you have with Tula?"

As much as she had wanted to reveal the notion of her being restored to her human form by Ozma, she had always chosen to keep quiet about it. This was, after all, not the first time Dorothy had been asked this question by the Mayor. The next time, she had told herself. The next time, she would reveal the truth to him.

But what if there was something to his interest in her? She had wanted to talk to the AMA first. The last thing Dorothy wanted to do was to upset this well-meaning gentleman who charmingly doted on her so courteously and selflessly during her two years as a munchkin.

"Well…" Dorothy thoughtfully replied. "…we'll see…what the Learning Guild has to say about that."

"Oh, I would think that the Headmistress is very, very pleased with your work, Dorothy dear. Particularly in the establishment of your education standards!" Boq reminded. "I have actually been thinking on your accomplishments, and I am considering the authorization of a most well-earned, honorific title for you!"

Dorothy blinked in surprise at this, her eyes going wide. "Your Honor…I…I'm flattered that you would make such a gesture, but it really isn't…"

"Ahh, but I think it IS, Miss Dorothy!" Boq interjected. "What say you, my dear, to the honorific title 'Munchkinland Grand Ministress of Educational Affairs'?"

The munchkin tutor's eyebrows raised up high in her bewildered reaction.

"Such a title would capably elevate your status above and beyond that of the Learning Guild's Headmistress herself!" Boq then reminded, effectively adding to Dorothy's bewilderment. "You would effectively become Philomena's boss, as well! Honestly, my dear…your ideas on increasing learning time to five days a week has resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of successful educations all throughout Munchkinland! And yet, you maintain the status of a rank-and-file tutor? Nay, I say! You must be _more_ than that, Miss Dorothy! I beg of you, my dear…please consider my words, and my offer? I can think of no better educator to bear such a title!"

Dorothy was logically stunned. It was hard to come up with a counteractive statement, but she did make an attempt in her reply. "Um…d…don't you think…Philomena _herself _would be more deserving of such a title? And then, there is the matter of a new educator who was just introduced to us. He was trained by Professor No…"

"I doubt _any _educator would be as charming as you, Miss Dorothy." Boq countered. "After all…it is one thing to possess the acumen for such a responsibility, but I am told you are most pleasant…and firm, when the occasion calls for it…as a tutor, and after two years, both Vice Headmistresses have confided to me that you are, and I quote, 'the crown jewel of the Learning Guild'! How could I choose _anyone _other than yourself, my dear? Anyone else would likely have to settle for second best, I'm afraid!"

Lost in indecision, Dorothy went quiet for a moment to think of a suitable response to this. She could hardly make a decision as extravagant as this without some kind of consultation from a certain straw-stuffed royal advisor…

"Um…do I have to make my decision right away?" Dorothy asked. "I mean…can I think on it?"

Boq, fortunately, nodded in understanding. "Of _course, _my dear. Far be it for me to inflict such a decision on you when you have an important threshold to achieve! Think of Tula's most assuredly successful evaluation as the validation in your staking the claim to your newly-anointed Ministress-ness! Ahh, for you to be the representative face for educational necessity in our…lands…"

Boq blinked, realizing that his personal taxi had stopped right in front of Dorothy's munchkin home, and had been idling in its spot for the past few minutes.

This also surprised Dorothy. "Oh! We're here!"

The Mayor, however, was already in motion, doing what he typically did whenever giving the munchkin tutor a ride: he quickly emerged from his passenger side, and hurried over to where Dorothy emerged, helping her down from the taxi. The blushing munchkin had tried to explain, in the past, how unnecessary a gesture this was, but Boq was always insistent.

"When should I expect your answer, if I may ask?" Boq then inquired once they were both at Dorothy's front door. She already heard a couple of Toto's excited yaps behind the closed door.

"Um…give me a…a couple of days?" was Dorothy's reply.

"As you ordain, o' potential Ministress!" He then gave another of his customary, gentlemanly low bows. "Until next we see each other, fair champion of Oz…I bid you a very lovely day."

Dorothy watched the round-bodied city official step back into his personal taxi, and he waved again to the munchkin tutor as the purple horse began pulling its burden away from the front of her house.

The former human's sigh was audible as she opened the front door and bent down to pet and acknowledge Toto. Realizing that it was close enough to lunchtime, she prepared a meal for the little Cairn Terrier before she began working on the tasty meat casserole recipe Jellia Jamb taught her how to make last year. Dorothy had tried this offering at one of the many Munchkinland festivals, and was so sold on its taste that she wanted very much to learn how to make it on her own. Within a couple of months, Jellia managed to train the eager tutor in how to prepare it to perfection.

All it required were a pair of fully-grown meatstalks, which she routinely grew in her private garden behind the house. Part of her daily routine, when there was no rainfall expected, was to go to the garden and keep the soil moist and watered so that the meatstalks could grow to the point where Dorothy could extract the stalks, and peel off the sides of the stalks to expose and extract the meat, much like exposing the soft interior of a banana. Excess raw meat was always gathered up and added to a large bowl that she had in cold storage. It was from this excess that she often made herself meatburgers as well(which, it should be noted, were no different from the common hamburger).

It was lunchtime when the casserole was ready, and Dorothy could already feel the murmurs of hunger in her own endearingly round belly as she extracted a very large portion from the hot tin casserole tray and set down at her dinner table to feast upon it.

Halfway into her meal, however, she heard a rapping at her door. Curious, Dorothy slipped off her chair and headed over to open it. She at least knew the knocking was a bit too loud to be the softer impacts of a straw or cotton-stuffed fist.

The sight of a ginger-haired woman in full military regalia awaited Dorothy once she opened the door. As usual, she had an expression hardened by the rigors of discipline.

"Meat casserole inspection, Miss Dorothy." Master General Commander Jinjur firmly remarked.

The munchkin tutor smiled. "Wouldn't you rather _eat_ some?"

"Only when I'm off-duty." Jinjur then pulled off her hat as her lips curled into a disarmed smile. "Which I am."

Both munchkins giggled as Jinjur stepped past Dorothy to head for the dinner table. "Mmmm, smells yummy, as always. You've got that casserole down to a science, Miss Dorothy."

"This among so many other Munchkinland foods I've learned how to make in the past two years." Dorothy noted as she set back down to continue eating, and Jinjur placed her own helping upon a plate her munchkin hostess had procured for her.

"Seems like we eat just as much as we work, eh?" Jinjur mused before placing a forkful of food in her mouth. "Well…that's how it is to be one of us."

"First few months, it seemed like I was worrying about being stuck not just in this form, but in the lifestyle that goes with it." Dorothy observed after swallowing her food. "Nowadays? I think I could get used to it. Like it wouldn't be so bad if I had to stay this way a little longer. Even Uncle Henry seems to be a little more accepting of it these past few Sundays when I visit them."

Jinjur nodded in understanding. "I'm not surprised. Glinda told me that life in Munchkinland is not too far removed from the kind of life you led in Kansas."

"I certainly have a lot more friends here." Dorothy added, smiling. "Yourself included."

Jinjur nodded again. She seemed hesitant to share what she said next. "That's…kind of the reason I wanted to stop by, Miss Dorothy. There's something I've been thinking about, and I wanted to get your opinion on it."

Dorothy tilted her head in wide-eyed curiosity, her mouth still partially full of food. "What'sh up?"

A long moment of silence followed as she tried to think of a good way to share her thoughts, but in the end, she decided to just let it out. "I…I've been thinking of…well…retiring."

Dorothy blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Don't get me wrong. I still love the military, and my regiments are developing very well." Jinjur explained. "Ever since Ozma came to power, though, things have been fairly idyllic around Oz beyond those few minor incidents of the past."

"Those 'minor incidents' could have gotten worse, though." Dorothy noted. "You've been a beacon for the need to stay vigilant, too. Why, your suggestion to involve the leagues and the guilds of Munchkinland in a show of…of auxiliary support to your regiments was inspired! It's like you have _two _armies in the land now!"

Jinjur smiled. "Ojo was a huge help there. I felt bad dissolving it."

"Have you thought about bringing it back?"

"Why?" Jinjur asked. "There's no real need for it."

Dorothy arched an eyebrow, a fork full of food in front of her lips. "Then maybe it's a bad idea for you to retire."

Jinjur sat quietly and thoughtfully as she pondered her own conundrum for a moment. "I guess I just wanna do something other than expecting the next fight. I mean, I can only drill the men and the women for so long before it starts to become pointless, and I can only remind them that we always need to be ready for future threats so many times."

"That's why I think you should bring the idea back." Dorothy reasoned. "In addition to your regular military forces, have an auxiliary group who can live ordinary lives…without the need for uniforms or drills or anything…until something happens that the standard military can't handle on its own, or just needs extra bodies for."

Jinjur blinked at the possible merit in this suggestion. As Dorothy continued eating, she quietly worked out the logistics in her head.

A thought then occurred to the munchkin tutor once she swallowed another helping of food. "Let me ask you this, too…if Jinjur wasn't a soldier, what would she want to be?"

"Well, I know what I will _never _be." Jinjur replied. "I'd sooner surrender to the late Wicked Witch of the East than join the Lullaby League."

Dorothy giggled. "That's for sure! So? What would you be instead?"

Jinjur lowered her head, looking very hesitant to share. "You'll laugh." She murmured.

The smiling munchkin tutor moved her chair closer to Jinjur to place a chubby hand on the soldier's shoulder. "No I won't. Come on. I won't tell a soul if you don't want me to."

The Master General Commander raised her head slowly, and let out a gentle, resigned sigh in a rare display of shyness. "Well…I've been kinda curious about…farming."

Dorothy gasped. "Really? Mercy me, Jinjur…there's nothing at _all _wrong with that! Munchkinland has so many farmers, too!"

"But a lot of them still haven't forgiven me for putting their loved ones in danger when I conscripted them into my army two years ago." Jinjur reminded. "I might not get any help at all in learning how to be one."

"Have you thought about asking my Uncle Henry?" Dorothy then offered.

"Your Uncle…? Oh, no. No way." Jinjur blushed deeply and visibly. "I couldn't do that. If they heard I was getting tips from him…"

"Oh, never _mind _what others think, Jinjur!" Dorothy firmly noted. "I can tell you for a fact that Uncle Henry _loves _teaching people to do what he did best back in Kansas. If you're willing to learn, I think you should talk to him! Maybe you can join us at their farmhouse for our weekly dinner tomorrow?"

Jinjur's uncertainty dissolved slowly into a full smile. "Thanks, Dorothy." She finally remarked. "I…I'd like that."

"I'll make double the meat casserole then." Dorothy punctuated this statement with a wink.

The soldier then gave Dorothy a light shove. "Hey…enough about me. How have _you _been doing? I heard Tula gets evaluated next week."

"And then, _I _get evaluated." Dorothy added. "Based on what I heard, it'll be a tough slog, too. Someone who was educated by Professor Nowitall himself will be the one testing me."

Jinjur's eyes widened in disbelief. "Whoa. That's…that's…uh, _wow_. I hope you're ready for that."

"Matters may become a little more involved for me, too." Dorothy then added. "Assuming I say yes, that is."

Jinjur frowned in confusion. "To what?"

"To an offer Mayor Boq just made to me." Dorothy replied. "He apparently wants to make me the…what was it? The 'Ministress'…no, the 'Munchkinland Grand Ministress of Educational Affairs'. He gave me a couple of days to think on it. I…haven't made up my mind yet."

Jinjur's response was an arched eyebrow, and a somewhat wary expression.

After a moment, Dorothy looked confused. "What?"

"Dorothy…" Jinjur began. "…are you aware how _stubborn _the Mayor can be?"

The munchkin girl shrugged. "I've seen evidence of it, yeah. Why?"

"Well, I've known that silly little man a bit longer than you." Jinjur warned. "If he's gonna give you a title like that on a whim, well…don't be surprised if you start seeing him a little more often than you might imagine, Dorothy."

The munchkin tutor realized what Jinjur was getting at, but Dorothy had always made an effort to keep him at arm's distance. Sometimes, she wondered if he had gotten the hint. Could this sudden offer from Boq be indicative of a more pronounced association between the two, she thought? It seemed a bit incredulous considering their respective situations.

Dorothy had to deny it. "Oh, I don't think he's going _that _far. Besides…next week, it won't even matter any more. Ozma will restore me, and that will be that."

Jinjur nodded at this, although she still looked skeptical. "Maybe you're right…" She then rose from her seat. "…but you should know that when the Mayor voices an idea for a title that he wants to give to someone, there's usually no negotiation in the matter. He'll have solid justifications for implementing it, too."

Dorothy sighed. "I _tried _to suggest Headmistress Philomena, but…well…"

"He couldn't think of any other, eh?" Jinjur nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like ol' Boq, all right."

"So he's done it before?"

Jinjur placed her hat back on her head. "Yes." Her tone then became a little more stern. "And don't ask me for details."

Dorothy nodded, a little surprised by the sharpness of Jinjur's tone. "Uh…sorry if I struck a nerve there, Jinjur."

The soldier sighed, lowering her head. "That sounded awfully surly, didn't it? _I'm_ the one that needs to apologize."

Dorothy then walked with the Master General Commander as she stepped over to the front door. "I've gotta get back on duty. Thanks for the meal, Miss Dorothy. As usual, it was delicious." She snapped a munchkin military salute to the munchkin tutor, who responded in kind.

But Dorothy's mind was a knot of concern for what she had been told. "What if I say no to him?"

Jinjur went silent on this for a moment before she spoke. "You could," She finally replied. "but he's been crestfallen before. It…wasn't a pretty sight."

"What brought him out of it?"

After a moment, the soldier's eyes fixed on Dorothy's. "You."

Jinjur then turned, restoring her military poise, and marched away from the house…

…leaving Dorothy to continue her quiet consideration of the Mayor's offer.

She was more convinced, at that moment, to confront Boq with as polite a refusal as she could give him. As much as her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry had more or less gotten used to Dorothy's munchkin appearance, knowing full well that she was otherwise no different from the grown human girl she once was, this was not the girl she was born to be, and the Kansas girl was on the verge of fulfilling her oath to the Learning Guild in a manner its Headmistress had agreed to.

But there was also that side of her that was finding munchkin life oddly appealing in its quaint nature. It was certainly a step above living in Kansas, and she did not have as many friends in the Kansas school compared to the great many friends she had made in Munchkinland, as well as in other parts of the land of Oz through her past adventures. In those two years, the charming round body she had been enchanted into had grown on her, and she got the impression that she would go through a sense of melancholy to abandon it.

Just as she did when she was back home in Kansas following her first trip to Oz.

As Dorothy herself had observed, though, there was the rationale that she would always be welcome among the munchkins no matter what form she was in. Short, tall, thin, fat, there would always be a place for her in Munchkinland festivities if she desired it.

But it was wearing the _form _of the endearing little munchkins, who maintained such charming appearances since she had first laid eyes upon them, that had apparently grown on the former human. Feeling her chubby cheeks go red when she was shy or embarrassed. Sharing the small, round frame most of the munchkins had. Even speaking in a tone slightly higher than she did as a human had its sugary sweet appeal. Dorothy had circumstantially spent two years as one of the people unique to the land of Oz that she had unconsciously liberated, and after the many pleasant experiences she had in her time as one of them, she found herself in no rush to be restored.

Dorothy had, however, resolved to speak with the Scarecrow on these matters, and she decided to board the next taxi bound for the Emerald City so she could leave a message with Omby Amby regarding her want for a conversation with Ozma's royal advisor at Dorothy's Munchkinland home.

But she had the rest of her meat casserole to finish first, and she had made enough to begin devouring a second helping.

And then a third.

* * *

Refreshed by the meal Farmer Evolwyn and his wife had provided for them, Betsy settled herself at the stool where the pedals were located and took the handlebars, while Oscar, Johnny, and Hank found spaces within the Sand Skiff to stabilize themselves at.

She hoped the pedals would not be too tough to revolve. After all, it was a fairly big skiff, and it was loaded with two adults and a mule.

Oscar watched curiously as Betsy began moving the pedals with her feet. As they had done with Johnny, the hardwood gears began to revolve and rotate in their human-provoked friction until they got the large wheels moving below. Guided by a pace Betsy found to be quicker than she thought she would be able to manage, the Sand Skiff moved away from the farm as Evolwyn and Everlaine waved their goodbyes.

Oscar, feeling a breeze run along his face, laughed aloud with jubilation as they continued their progress towards the desert edge. "GO, BETSY! GOOOO!" He exuberantly called out. Hearing this, Betsy's smile grew wider as she continued to rotate the pedals with her well-exercised legs.

And this skiff was so much _larger_ than she was!

Eventually, however, Johnny rose from his seat and looked to the horizon. He then turned to the skiff's current driver. "Pull the third lever, Betsy! We're getting close to the desert's edge!"

Engaging the third lever had the pedals spinning on their own, and when Johnny helped her down from the stool seat, she felt the skiff begin to decrease its speed. Johnny cranked a knob by the handlebars which locked them down, and the occupants of the skiff gathered at the bow as they closed in on the edge of the Deadly Desert, which was now plainly visible.

Once the skiff came to a full stop in front of the desert, Johnny had Oscar help him install another component unto the center of the skiff which was apparently necessary to take them across the desert: a long pole upon which a large sail was attached. Johnny was fortunate enough to convince Everlaine to part with her surplus of soft cotton fabrics so he could create the sails as Oscar and Betsy had their meals. The old handyman also affixed a wooden rudder to the stern of the skiff, and he used this to push the vehicle onto the sands. He then had Betsy pull another lever near the stern rudder which had the effect of retracting the large wheels until they were against the sides of the skiff.

The strong desert winds caught the sail, which ballooned forward with a loud rumble of its fabrics, and the skiff was mobile once more as its smooth, curved underbelly carved into the lethal, enchanted sand drifts below.

Betsy felt Oscar's hand clap on her shoulder. "I promised I would get you to Oz, didn't I?" He called out over the loudly whistling winds.

"Don't talk too much!" Johnny loudly warned. "There's sand in these winds! You don't want too much of it in your mouth!"

Oscar blushed, placing a hand over his mouth nervously, and extended a thumb to Johnny in understanding.

When Betsy saw that Hank had clopped over to stand beside her, she hugged lovingly at the furry gray mule's neck as she continued to watch the skiff make its way across the treacherous wastes below them.

The heavy winds took them across quickly, and it was barely thirty minutes time before they began to see the other side of the desert. Given everything Oscar had told her about Oz, Betsy began to get very, very excited. Her expression brightened significantly.

Johnny began to collapse the sail with another lever by the stern rudder, and their progress began to slow once again. With no sail to catch the winds, it fell to Johnny to safely steer the group in as the skiff decreased its speed.

The skiff finally slowed to a full halt once its surface began carving into a patch of healthy, grassy Winkie Country plain. Johnny had actually kept the stern portion of the skiff within the sands, burying the rudder deep into the ground.

"Last stop!" He then called out as Oscar, Hank, and Betsy began to disembark. Johnny gave them a hand…and when he tended to Betsy, he discreetly slipped a small leather pack into one of the pockets of her worn dress.

Once they were all safely on the ground, they noticed that Johnny was still on the skiff, looking down upon them from the bow of the ship. "Aren't you joining us?" Oscar asked.

"Nope! Got other places I need to go." Johnny replied. "Give my regards to ol' Nick!"

"Nick?" Oscar frowned in confusion. "Who's that?"

But Johnny was already underway, redirecting the skiff back into the sandy wastes, raising the skiff's sail, and disappearing into its treacherous expanse within moments.

Betsy sighed. She had wanted to give that selfless old man a hug for helping her escape the invisible bears and bringing her to Oscar. All she and her friends could do was to watch the skiff distance itself from them.

She quietly hoped that sometime soon, she would see him again.

Hank then began looking around their immediate area. "So this is Oz?"

Oscar turned to Hank. "Well, a…portion of it. If we had a road of yellow bricks to follow, it would take us straight to the Emerald City. But, uh…that particular road runs through the Munchkinland region."

"So where are we now?" Hank asked.

"I think Johnny call'd it 'winky'." Betsy replied. "What's th' rest of th' country like, Mist'r Diggs?"

Oscar blushed in his lack of familiarity with the surroundings. He mostly ruled the land from the Emerald City, after all, and he did not travel around very much for fear of any acts of vengeance from the now-dead wicked witches he had once defeated through his prestidigitation.

Fortunately, bits and pieces were starting to come back to him as he scanned the horizon, mumbling to himself. "Err…well, let's see…should be a…a river a few miles down, and…the castle? Probably too far from where we are. Don't see any giants…"

Betsy now looked confused. "Didn't you say you were th' _ruler? _Of th' whole _land?_"

"Huh? Oh, yes!" Oscar emphatically confirmed. "But you must understand, my dear Betsy…I haven't been here in _years! _I must admit, too, that…well, I didn't get out much once I assumed my, uh, wizardly duties…"

A fresh new voice suddenly offered confirmations as Oscar spoke. "Giving out hearts…"

Oscar didn't seem to notice as Hank and Betsy blinked in surprise. "…yes, well…I only did that _once, _and to a very deserving fellow, too…"

"…and brains…" the gentle-sounding voice continued as Hank and Betsy began looking around for the source of the voice.

Oscar remained oblivious, perhaps believing the voice to be Hank's. "…indeed, yes, and I hope that erudite fellow realized by now that having a diploma is nothing compared to actually _using _that brain he always had from the beginning…"

"And _courage, _too!" The source of the voice finally exposed himself to Betsy and Hank, quickly putting a tin-plated finger to his equally tin-plated lips before continuing. "Don't forget that medal you gave the Lion!"

"Ahhh, yes...the sheer _irony _of meeting a lion among men who…"

It finally hit Oscar. He remembered Hank's voice being much lower than the one that had been speaking.

As Nick's joints were freshly-oiled, his tin body emitted very little noise, and he had taken very light steps as he crept amusedly behind Oscar, who had turned to Betsy in his sudden puzzlement. Betsy looked quite a bit amazed at the sight of a walking, talking tin man before her eyes went to Oscar.

"Er…I hope you'll pardon the question, Betsy, but…" Oscar realized the question would be an odd one, but since they were now in Oz, it was worth a try. "…has your voice suddenly gone _male?_"

A smiling Betsy shrugged, equally amused at the old man's confusion. "I didn't say a word, Mist'r Diggs. I was jus' listenin' to you."

But Oscar's face suddenly went serious as his head lowered in his regret. "As much as I was able to give her three friends what they wanted…my one true regret was that I couldn't give that special little girl from Kansas what _she _wanted. To go back home. Now that I'm back here, I…I'd like to find out if she really _did _get back home somehow. Maybe sent back home by a _real _wizard. Unlike me. Some…fuddy-duddy ol' coward who couldn't be bothered to come out from behind all those crazy illusions of mine. Show the people of Oz that there was more to me than some big green head telling people I was so…so 'great and powerful'."

"But you _are _great, Mist'r Diggs." Betsy thoughtfully countered. "Don't y' know what they say 'bout Chris'mas? 'Bout how it's not th' gift, it's th' _thought _that counts? Well…don'cha think your _wantin'_ t' take that girl home…an' at least _tryin' _t' do it…was what matter'd?"

Tears began streaming down the old man's face. "But I actually _wanted _to take that girl home, Betsy!" He lamented. "If I had only known how to control that confounded balloon, I…"

"Y' don't think ev'n great an' powerful people can make mistakes from time t' time?" Hank offered. "Nobody's perfect, Oscar."

"Doesn't mean y' don't still have a good heart, Mist'r Diggs." Betsy added.

Nick, standing behind his old friend, was on the verge of tears himself as he finally placed a tin hand, gently, upon Oscar's shoulder as the former wizard of Oz wiped the tears from his face, and turned to place his head upon the tin-plated breast of the Emperor of the winkies as Nick wrapped his arms around the old man, smiling.

Oscar's eyes then widened, realizing that he had placed his head against a smooth surface that was much harder than human skin.

He brought his fist up to knock against the silvery surface, and the knuckles rapped twice against a surface of pure tin.

Pulling his head away from the tin breast, he now stared upon the smiling face of the Emperor of the winkies, who could not help but chuckle merrily. "Welcome back, old friend!"

Oscar's jaw dropped, and his eyes were now wider as his hands grasped at portions of his tin body to confirm that this was no mere illusion. "Tin man?" He finally whined in his shock.

"Well…I never got a chance to tell you, but…my name is actually Nick. Nick Chopper." The former tin woodman revealed. "You should know, by the way, that Dorothy really _did _make it back home with Glinda's help. She told her how to use the magic of the ruby slippers that were on her feet! She left Oz within moments of your departure."

Nick, of course, knew that Dorothy also looked radically different from how Oscar remembered her, but he resolved to refrain from revealing that development for the moment.

The revelation, however, surprised the former wizard, who looked much more relieved now. "So she had the means to go home all along, eh? I _knew_ there was something to those slippers! How have you _been, _my heartfelt friend?"

"A little more _important_ these days, to be honest." Nick replied. "After you and Dorothy left, I decided to go to the Winkie Country and get an idea of the damage that the Wicked Witch of the West inflicted on the people during her tyranny. It was so upsetting that I had to take my frustrations out on the trees in the Haunted Forest. That's when I realized that all the wood I cut down could be used to repair all those damaged and destroyed homes, so I gathered up all the remaining craftsmen in the country and we began a _huge _recovery effort. Half the forest is gone now, given all the wood we needed, and…well, it doesn't look as forbidding as it used to be." The tin emperor then gestured to Betsy and Hank. "Who are your friends? After everything I heard them say, I'd really like to meet them!"

"Oh! Heavens, yes! Where are my manners?" Oscar guided Nick to Betsy first, who smiled as the ruler of the winkies approached. "Nick Chopper, this is my good and agile young friend, Betsy Bobbin, from Oklahoma. We both have a lively little act with the Bailum &amp; Barney Circus, which I joined sometime after I finally made landfall."

Betsy did a respectful curtsey, smiling. "Nice t' meet you, Mist'r Chopp'r."

"Likewise…and please, call me Nick." He returned the curtsey with a gentlemanly bow. "Although I should also tell you that the winkies made me their Emperor, too, in recognition for all the help I gave them. They were most insistent, too, so whenever they're around, I…hope you won't mind keeping up appearances."

"If you're a nice Emp'ror, I won't mind." Betsy noted.

"Were he not one of the most selfless and kind of individuals in the land, I would never have given him his ticking heart!" Oscar countered, smiling. He then gestured to the mule. "And this is Hank, one of Bailum &amp; Barney's animals, who has been trained to swim quite effectively for one of his breed!"

Nick looked surprised. "A swimming mule? Wow! That's quite a talent!"

"It's a talent I'd rath'r put behind me, though." Hank admitted. "Their train'rs weren't very kind t' me. Unlike Betsy here."

"Y' won't need t' put up with those mean ol' trainers anymore." Betsy ran a hand along the mule's fur in consolation.

"Indeed! Cruelty is a crime in my lands. Punishable by banishment." Nick firmly added, similarly petting Hank. "Ever since the Wicked Witch of the West was destroyed, we've made every effort to be as welcoming to like-minded strangers as we can." He then looked to Oscar. "You, on the other hand…you're no stranger, and your friends have already proven themselves to have just as pure a heart as you always had, my friend. I must insist that you be my guests of honor at a banquet I will arrange for tomorrow evening at the Tin Palace."

"A _Palace?_ Dear me!" Oscar's eyes widened again in surprise. "I can't help but wonder how it compares to the Emerald City!"

"Oh, there isn't a place anywhere in the land of Oz that could possibly compare! I've no shame in admitting that our palace pales in comparison to the Emerald City!" Nick then gestured for the group to follow him. "But I should of course allow the three of you to judge for yourselves, because that's our next stop, should you wish to join me."

"Is it far from here?" Betsy asked, matching pace with Hank and Oscar as they began walking behind the tin-plated Emperor.

"Oh, you'd be walking for a couple of days if you were on foot." Nick replied, leading them to the other side of a sloping road. "But the tin carriage will get us there within a couple of _hours_."

On the other side of the road, glistening brightly in the afternoon sunlight, was a long and _very _magnificent-looking vehicle made entirely of fortified tin. Sleek renderings of the heads of stallions served as interconnecting hoods for a series of six sturdy wheels, three on each side. This front section was attached to a spacious driver/passenger section with a single steering wheel and several levers. The passenger section had three long seats which looked to be able to accommodate nine quite comfortably. Below the passenger car were two larger wheels, one on each side. The entire vehicle was a brilliantly sturdy design, and it reminded Oscar of the automobile machines that were enjoying a steady rise in popularity outside of the nonestic lands.

Oscar and Betsy stared at this vehicle in complete amazement as Nick spoke. "My people conferred with Johnny Dooit himself in getting this together, and believe me…this vehicle is as sturdy, as smooth, and as fast a ride as you might imagine."

Initially speechless as they approached this magnificent machine, Oscar had to share his thinking. "Is this a magic-powered machine? I mean…how does it run?"

"Well, Johnny had the idea of harnessing steam generators, creating the friction necessary to provide the carriage with its motion rather than harnessing horses." Nick replied. "So I guess you could say this is steam-powered, but the tin plating was magically fortified. We have Glinda to thank for that. Without the fortifications, the tin plating would have cracked from the pressure."

"Outstanding. Simply outstanding!" Oscar loudly observed as Nick opened a door on one of its passenger sides to allow Betsy and the old man to step inside and settle on the comfortable cushions within. The tin emperor then opened another door to allow Hank to clop into the seat space behind his friends.

Nick then settled himself in the driver's seat and began pulling levers and turning cranks. After a moment of quiet hissing, a rumble could be heard below the passenger area. Oscar surmised that a bulge separating the driver area from the passenger area was the steam generator Nick had mentioned. In the next minute, the long and magnificent vehicle began to move. It advanced slowly at first, and then began to pick up speed as it rolled along the Winkie Country terrain.

As the passenger area had no hood overhead, the pleasant breeze of the perpetually beautiful climate of Oz ran a bit more strongly against the faces of Betsy, Hank, and Oscar as the tin carriage continued its progress. Betsy had to bring up a hand to hold the bonnet she was wearing against her head to make sure it didn't fly off, and Hank chose to fold his legs beneath him to stabilize his place in the passenger area, and Oscar held to the side door to keep himself in place.

Despite this, Nick's three passengers visibly found the ride enjoyable. He made sure not to go any faster than he already was as he steered the carriage unto its destination.

At one point, Betsy extended an index finger to a particular direction, her eyes wide with wonder. "Look!"

Oscar moved to Betsy's side and caught sight of a pair of very large male humanoids, both of them being directed by a single individual who looked a bit skeletal in appearance. The group did not notice the tin carriage roll by, as it seems they were a little too engrossed in their own business.

"Those must be the giant-servants Glinda told me about!" Oscar remarked, loud enough for Betsy to hear. "See that scary-looking man there? He's their master. Despite how he looks, that man is stronger than ten men, give or take! We must be close to the land of Herku!"

"They're good people, too, despite their…disturbing appearances." Nick added. "They helped us stop a man who temporarily took control of the Emerald City a couple of years ago."

"A takeover of the Emerald City?" Oscar sounded alarmed. "Dear me…the things I'd missed since my departure! How did _that _come about?"

"Well…it's a bit of a long story." Nick replied. "I should wait until we arrive at the tin palace before explaining."

"How close are we now?" Betsy asked.

Nick smiled. "You should be seeing it on the horizon…right…now."

Sure enough, a bit of glittering…created by the rays of the sun shining down upon it from the perpetually clear skies above…preceded the sight of a magnificently-designed castle with a series of spires large and small surrounding what looked to be a central building that looked a bit like a wide smokestack. Yellow banners flapped in the high winds from poles at the top of each spire. A long bridge provided access to the castle's entrance, which had no manner of gate or portcullis to prevent outsiders from entering.

Betsy was visibly amazed, as was Oscar, as they came closer and closer to the castle complex, Nick maintaining a course that would lead to the castle's bridge.

And nearly everything about this particular castle was unsurprisingly made of magically-reinforced tin.

"Open-door policy, eh?" Oscar mused as they neared the bridge.

"When they originally presented the castle to me, it had a large black gate at the doorway, but I ordered its dismantling for that very reason." Nick replied. "All are welcome in my castle. Even those others would consider questionable in nature."

"I'm surprised you didn't use the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West as your castle haven!" Oscar remarked.

"The climate in that area was too damp for my joints." Nick responded. "The castle's still there, but it's been completely emptied out. Anything harmful was either disposed of or confiscated by Glinda. She also removed any curses and booby-traps that the witch laid upon it. The rest of the stuff we pulled out of there were found to be stolen goods and were returned to their rightful owners. The mounted patrols of Major Stalwart's Shining Battalion rides by that place on a daily basis. There hasn't been any sign of trouble there since the witch was destroyed, and the winkies were freed from their enchantment."

The tin carriage was now rolling across the bridge as Nick reduced the speed of the vehicle. Betsy and Hank saw that a long drop to a narrow river awaited those who fell off the sides of the bridge, which was flanked by man-sized railings.

As they neared the entranceway, the group began to hear a strange, gruff melody being sung, and a multitude of loud taps and tinks and clanks and cranks provided a unique percussion to this melody. Nick knew this melody particularly well, but unlike the first time he had heard it, he now knew the history behind it.

Once the carriage passed the mouth of the entranceway, the lyrics could now be clearly heard by various workers in and around the shiny interiors of the tin palace…

_Hoo-wee-yohh…yoooo-ho!  
__This is the sound of the work we know!  
__Hammer an' tinker an' keepin' lines straight!  
__This is what makes the win-kies great!_

A great many faces, male and female, young and old, cheerfully greeted Emperor Nick and his group as they neared the central building, the carriage now moving slowly so as to allow his many smiling subjects to greet his friends in the passenger area. The sea of faces were all uniformly and voluntarily kind in nature. There were entertainers in the street presenting their various talents to other residents of the palace, and offerings of flowers and fruits and vegetables were made to Nick's guests as the carriage neared the central building.

When the carriage finally stopped, nearby citizens cordially opened the side doors to let Nick's guests emerge, while Nick himself gazed up to some of the singing workers busily attending to the construction of a new building within the palace.

Oscar stepped over to him curiously. "Your majesty? Er…emerald coin for your thoughts, old friend?"

Nick glanced to the former wizard of Oz. "It's been a good two years since they were liberated, and it wasn't until recently that I found out the meaning behind that chant. I'll tell you all about it when we're inside." He then gestured towards the entrance to the large central building. "Please follow me."

Six guards, all of them wearing impressively-designed suits of fortified plate armor, snapped to attention as Nick and his friends ascended a gold-lined, red-carpeted staircase.

"HAIL, EMPEROR NICHOLAS!" They all shouted in sharply-toned unison.

Nick smiled, turning to Betsy. "Pretty impressive discipline, eh?" After giving her a wink, he continued his ascent to the doors, which were opened as he neared them.

He then spun to face the flanking guards, whose heads were angled to their Emperor. "At ease, soldiers!" Nick then called out.

With a loud report of their armored feet, the loyal guards returned to their previous positions as Nick and his friends passed through the opened doors, which were closed behind them.

Nick nodded in acknowledgement to attendants and passerby within the building. One of them was a young stablehand who clapped his hands twice, and was then joined by three other young stablehands as they approached their ruler.

"My Emperor." The stablehand began. "We are prepared to attend to the mule, should he desire a stable."

Nick's eyes went from the stablehands to Hank. "They are very well-trained. You'll be in good and capable hands. Remember…we never tolerate cruelty in my lands."

"I 'preciate that, sir." Hank replied. "But, I think I'd like t' stay with Betsy for th' time bein'."

The stablehands bowed respectfully to the mule. "As you wish. We are at your service should you change your mind at any time, day or night." The lead stablehand remarked, smiling. They then stepped away.

Hank's head turned back to Nick as the group continued following him. "Awfully nice o' them."

"After so many years of merciless death, destruction, and torment at the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, it was the choice of my people to be as pleasant as possible so they can put those long and dark days and nights behind them." Nick noted. "Although there are some settlements and communities that are a part of the Winkie Country who remain skeptical and, well, contrary to our way of life, and such is their right for as long as they don't cause any significant trouble."

The beautifully-carpeted path cut through a series of long, curved passages as they neared the central room, which was revealed to be a magnificent throne room. As they stepped into this large, circular space, a single, finely-dressed individual with a partially bald head and a long-tailed jacket…Oscar estimated he was in his early to mid-sixties by the looks of him…made his way over to Nick, bowing respectfully.

"Welcome back, my Emperor." He cordially remarked.

Nick gestured to Oscar, Betsy, and Hank. "Prime Minister Gruf, I want the best possible accommodations set aside for these three visitors. One of them is of particular importance. I want them to receive the best possible hospitality. I should also wish to arrange a banquet for tomorrow night, and these three will be our guests of honor."

Gruf greeted each of them with a kind smile and a respectful bow. "Pleased to meet you, sweet maiden." He remarked to Betsy. "A pleasure, good sir." He shook Oscar's hand. "Salutations, my four-legged friend." was his spoken greeting to the mule.

"Why would your name be Gruf if you're so nice?" Betsy curiously asked.

"Because even during the rule of the Wicked Witch, Gruf was renowned for his charisma, and the hold the witch had on him was the weakest because his will was so strong." Nick explained.

"I was there to pay witness to the death of that horrible tyrant." Gruf explained to the young girl. "I was also the one to give our brave young liberator the witch's broom."

"He also led the armies that drove the winged monkeys out of the witch's castle." Nick reminded. "He was the logical choice to serve as the leader of the winkies whenever I am not around."

"There are minor issues for you today, my Emperor." Gruf reported, holding up a scroll with various paragraphs upon it. "But we can go over them later, if you wish."

"If none of them are emergencies, we can talk later tonight, Prime Minister." Nick replied. "For now, I'd like to spend some time alone with our guests."

Gruf bowed low. "As you wish, my Emperor."

Once Gruf departed, and closed the only large door leading into the throne room, Nick settled himself into the tin-plated throne seat. "As I was saying…I found out only recently that the song you heard outside was a working chant that the winkies have been using for a great many years. When they were lost to the witch's power, there was one thing about their former lives that the witch couldn't erase, and it was the first line of that chant. When they were freed from her spell, they gradually remembered the rest of the words. Now, whenever they work, they sing that chant as proudly as they can, and with the strongest and the deepest of voices."

"Even th' women?" Betsy asked.

Nick chuckled at this. "Yes, even the women."

Oscar looked around the mostly tin-plated throne room, looking for something in particular as Betsy and Nick spoke. He then checked Nick himself, which puzzled the Emperor.

"Have you…misplaced something?" Nick asked in his puzzlement.

"Hm? Oh…I do beg your pardon, your highness…" Oscar blushed in his admission. "…but, I was wondering what you did with that heart I rewarded you with."

"Ah, yes! I'm glad you reminded me." Nick replied. "I had a compartment built for it."

Nick's hands went to his own round breast, and the group watched as he opened a hinged panel that was tightly latched shut. He then reached in and pulled the very same heart-clock that the wizard had given him. "It stopped ticking. I…feared that I had somehow lost my heart, or that it died, around the time that I was asked by the winkies to help them rebuild. I was filled with such melancholy over Dorothy leaving that I thought I'd never hear that ticking again. But that's when it dawned on me. I always _did _have a heart, didn't I? Just like the Scarecrow was always smart, and the Lion always did have courage. I didn't have to hear that ticking to feel as if I could help the winkies. Still…I at least wanted to have it on me, to remind me. Just like the Scarecrow treasures the diploma you gave him."

Oscar nodded, beaming with pride. "And the lion with his medal."

"Oh, the Lion…you should know that he made a whole ideal out of what you told him." Nick explained. "He put together a group of protectors in the Quadling Forest with the help of his friend, the Hungry Tiger. The Legion of Courage has been growing ever since! He made me, Dorothy, and the Scarecrow honorary members, too."

"_Really? _My goodness!" Oscar looked pleasantly surprised at this. A thought then occurred to him. "I'm understandably anxious to see how the Scarecrow is faring as the ruler of Oz."

"He actually gave up his rulership when the _true _heir to the throne was found." Nick then revealed, somewhat hesitantly. "A fairy princess named Ozma…the daughter of Pastoria, the half-human former King of Oz...is now the rightful ruler of the land."

"Dear me! The things that have changed in my absence!" Oscar observed aloud. He then turned back to face Nick. "And…she is a just and fair manner of ruler, I imagine?"

"Oh, very much so." Nick confirmed. "She knows about you, too. She's probably watching us at this very moment using her magic picture. I'm certain she would want very much to meet the great and powerful wizard of Oz himself! I do intend to invite her to tomorrow night's banquet, too."

Oscar lowered his head upon hearing this. "I...hope she isn't _too _upset over my not being a _true _wizard."

"Despite all the wonderful things you've done during your rule?" Nick noted. "Need I remind you that there would never have been an Emerald City without your influence! It's a lasting testimony to your magnificence, sir. You'll _always _be the great and powerful wizard of Oz to me."

"Me too, Mist'r Diggs." Betsy added, smiling.

"I agree, Osc'r." Hank added. "Who says y' need magic t' be a wiz'rd?"

Oscar smiled at the sentiments. "Well…I'd still like to be able to learn _real _magic someday. You know…like Glinda always uses."

Betsy's eyes widened with the idea that came to her. "Say…how 'bout we put on a show for th' guests? Jus' the way we do it at th' circus?"

"All of our stuff was lost with th' wagons, though." Hank reminded. "Costumes, makeup, props…they're all gone."

"If there's one thing the winkies are known for, it's their craftsmanship." Nick offered. "We'll replace _everything_ you lost. Even if we have to make it from scratch. I think that's a fantastic idea, Betsy. What better way to reveal the return of the great and powerful wizard of Oz than by showing him doing what he does best?"

Betsy already began thinking, visibly, on the layout of the show. "Hank an' I can warm up th' crowd…an' then build up to th' big s'prise! You'll pop up out o' nowhere, an' start doin' all those great tricks o' yours!"

"What do y' think, Osc'r?" Hank then asked, seeing the former wizard of Oz's unsure expression. Upon hearing this, all eyes turned to the old man, who was already deep in thought over the pros and cons of such a notion.

After a long moment, his response was academic as he smiled wide. "Let's _do_ it!"

* * *

"Hmmm." The Scarecrow's brows furrowed in deep thought as he sat in the chair Dorothy offered him. "'Grand Ministress of Educational Affairs', eh?"

"It sounds so…so _extravagant_." Dorothy observed, her head lowered thoughtfully. "One part of me wants to say no, and another finds the idea appealing."

"I guess you've grown to love being a tutor, eh?" The Scarecrow mused. "The job grew on you?"

"Maybe, but…well, I guess I don't want to upset Boq." Dorothy replied. "He's been so nice to me these past couple of years. I never really asked why."

The Scarecrow nodded. "Well...if there's one thing my creator, Farmer Bolger, was known for, it's repeating a lot of Munchkinland gossip. Given what I know, I think I might have a suspicion as to why he's suddenly taken such an interest in you."

"I figured it was because he just grew to like me as a munchkin." Dorothy surmised. "But you think there's more to it?"

The Scarecrow nodded, with a surprisingly grave expression on his face. "Before you arrived in Oz, and before your house crushed the Wicked Witch of the East, no voice was more vocal in opposition to that horrible old crone's rule than Boq. Whenever she wasn't around, he always tried to stir up whatever trouble he could get away with. He figured it was his duty as the ordained Mayor of Munchkinland to liberate his people."

"But…the witch eventually found out about his rebellious nature?" Dorothy guessed. "How soon?"

"Some were of the belief that she had _always _known, and that she was merely waiting for the right moment to lash out at him." The straw-stuffed royal advisor replied. "When she _did _strike, she did it in the worst possible way. A way that honestly and truly crushed his spirit. At least, until the day that miserable tyrant was destroyed by your house."

"She cursed the people?" the munchkin tutor guessed.

The Scarecrow shook his head, his expression still grave. "Everyone knew that a lot of the Mayor's raw nerve came from a considerably strong influence in his life. Someone very close to him. Someone who was very smart, very kind, and very courageous."

Dorothy nodded in understanding. "The wizard of Oz."

To the curious munchkin's surprise, the Scarecrow shook his head. "Dorothy…back then, Boq had a _wife._ Her name was Maud."

Dorothy's eyes widened, and she let out a surprised gasp. "I…I don't _look _like Maud, do I?"

"Oh, no, no. She looked quite a bit different than you do as a munchkin, Dorothy." The Scarecrow assured. "But…you do share a lot of Maud's qualities. You're as kind as she was, certainly as smart as she was…"

"And brave." Dorothy added, thoughtfully lowering her head over the conundrum.

"No one person inspired Boq to act more than Maud did." The Scarecrow continued. "She warned him to keep his activities and his initiatives discreet. Together, they were definitely working up to something big. A major act of defiance. She even managed to find out that the witch and her sister frequently conspired against each other. Maud hoped to one day use that to their advantage."

Dorothy nodded. "What happened to her?"

"Deceived. By someone she thought she could trust. Someone who, at the moment of Maud's death, revealed herself to be the witch in disguise." The Scarecrow answered. "That nasty old crone enchanted a large hourglass, and turned it so that its sands spilled down into its empty portion. Boq was forced to watch Maud age rapidly before his horrified eyes while they were eating dinner one night. By the time the sands of the hourglass completely filled the lower end, Maud was nothing more than a lifeless skeleton."

Dorothy swallowed hard, feeling entirely sympathetic for the well-dressed munchkin official. She also thought on the hourglass as well, wondering if it was the same one the Wicked Witch of the West had in her castle when Dorothy was her prisoner. "Mercy me…"

"You may not have had anything to do with the house dropping on that old monster, Dorothy…" The Scarecrow noted. "…but if the house was yours, you may as well have avenged Maud's death."

Another thought occurred to the munchkin tutor. "Was Maud an educator? Like me?"

The Scarecrow shrugged. "That, I'm not sure of, but it wouldn't surprise me if she was."

Dorothy thought on everything she had heard. Boq's title proposal, as well as his interest in her, now seemed to make sense. She was grateful for the Scarecrow to have shared all this with her, but at the same time, it was making her decision over what to do about Boq's offer all the more difficult.

"I don't believe he'll think any less of you if you say no, Dorothy." The Scarecrow reasoned. "After all, you're not what you're supposed to be right now. That's something I'm sure he'll grow to understand, if he can't accept it right away."

"But what if I _liked _it, Scarecrow?" Dorothy countered. "What if I found this life appealing? I mean…Aunt Em and Uncle Henry have gotten used to it, and Ozma seems to like me this way, too."

"You said that about being a patchwork girl, though." The royal advisor of Oz then noted. "After your restoration, I'll admit I was a bit crestfallen, but…well, I got over it. And this was long before Doctor Pipt finally brought Scraps to life."

Dorothy nodded slowly. She thought to say something potentially unwise about the time he spent joyfully courting the Kansas girl's patchwork form. A time when they shared a genuine love for one another in their like-minded natures. She felt so carefree back then. So convinced that she could be at the Scarecrow's side for the rest of her transformed life, wildly cementing their affections for one another. Those were truly unforgettable moments, and she was certain the Scarecrow felt likewise.

When she was with him, after all, Dorothy was logically reminded of Hunk Griffiths, who was leading an entirely different life she had left behind her when she and her Aunt and Uncle abandoned the outside world for the more sorcerous realms in and around the land of Oz. There was no way Hunk could be brought to Oz, though, since he was never touched by fairies at birth. He had to be left to his own life, and she could only hope that he was doing well with it.

In this long moment of self-contemplation, the Scarecrow's head tilted to the side curiously. "Emerald coin for your thoughts, Dorothy?" He placed the straw-stuffed glove of his right hand on the munchkin's shoulder. "Has any of this helped you make your decision?"

Dorothy had to giggle, though. "Not really…" she looked upon the Scarecrow's eyes though, with a pleasant expression. "…but, as always, I do appreciate your counsel."

The Scarecrow placed his lips against Dorothy's forehead, planting an affectionate kiss. "Anytime, old friend."

Dorothy slid off her seat. "I'd better let you get back to the City. I know Ozma never sleeps as I do, and I'm getting a little tired."

The straw-stuffed advisor also rose, smiling. "I'm looking forward to seeing you back to your old self again. Ozma told me she's considering the establishment of a diplomatic representative. I can't think of anyone more qualified for that post than you!"

Dorothy smiled. "One title consideration at a time, Scarecrow."

The Scarecrow chuckled, opening the front door to Dorothy's home. "Good luck next week! You need help preparing for your own big day, my perfect brains are at your service!"

Once the Scarecrow was gone, Dorothy sighed. Maybe, she thought, she really did need to let all these munchkin-related concerns go. Just go back to being the Dorothy Gale she used to be. In body, as well as in mind. It would certainly relieve her Aunt and Uncle, and there would hardly be any consequence at all among the munchkins.

She filled Toto's food bowl as she began to rationalize to the point of making a final decision…

…but she then heard the Scarecrow's voice grunt, as if he had suddenly been tackled. The feminine giggling Dorothy then heard betrayed Scraps to be the apparent culprit.

Once she had placed the bowl down on the floor for Toto to eat, Dorothy quietly stepped outside through the munchkin home's back door and carefully moved close enough to be able to hear whatever conversation they might have.

Assuming they _had _any words to s…

"Haven't you _forgotten _something, honey bunch?" Dorothy heard Scraps say. She did not want to expose herself in any way, as she was too close to their position, so she saw nothing of this confrontation. She could only hear them speak.

"Can't you show a little patience, Scraps?" The Scarecrow countered. "I'm a very busy advisor these days!"

"You keep coming up with that same, silly ol' excuse." Scraps replied. "I thought you were gonna be in that house all night. I was about to go back to Margolotte, but you came out sooner than I thought!"

"Well…it's late, Scraps, and I need to be getting back to…"

"Nuh-uh. Not this time." Scraps interjected. Her tone then became a little more affectionate. "Come on, honey bunch…it's been _weeks _since you and I had any fun. It's just been work, work, work. If not for you, then for me. Don't you _like_ me anymore? Aren't we two of a kind?"

"Of _course _I like you, Scraps." The Scarecrow replied. "But…don't you think we should, well, plan these things out? We did that a few times before, don't you remember? Didn't we have good times?"

"Mmm-hmmm." was the patchwork girl's response. "But why not, just for once, do something on the spur of the moment? Let's just…spend some time in the poppy fields for the night, y'know? Go where no meat person dares to go. I heard you did that once before!"

"But…what if Ozma _needs _me?" The Scarecrow reasoned. "Being a fairy, she's like me in that neither of us need to sleep!"

"But is there anything really _bad _happening anywhere, honey-bunch?" Scraps reasoned. "Any real reason you need to see Ozma right this moment? And even if something _does _come up, she'll always know where you are so she can send someone to get you."

"Well…" The Scarecrow's resolve sounded like it was faltering now. "…you do have a point there, Scraps…"

"C'mon then." Scraps sounded as if she were rising from the ground. She also sounded _very _flirtatious. "Let's go poppy-rolling tonight. Make it an all-nighter, if we can."

Dorothy had to gradually lower her head in recognition of this as she listened to the words being passed between the two stuffed personages of the land. She heard them both rise up and she also heard Scraps giggle with glee as their voices trailed into the distance. As much as she wanted to protest, this was a world that she had voluntarily abandoned in her decision to be restored. As much as her affections for the Scarecrow…who by his nature was practically Hunk's doppleganger…were a little more pronounced following their time spent together as stuffed humanoids, the munchkin tutor she had become now had to accept the fact that that impromptu chapter of their lives was done.

It certainly seemed more natural for the Scarecrow and Scraps to deepen their apparently growing affections for one another given the time they spent getting to know each other since her creation.

Just as it seemed natural for Dorothy to make up her mind at that very moment regarding Boq's offer.

Fortunately, despite the late hour, with the moon high in the darkened sky, the munchkin tutor was able to approach a cabbie who had fallen asleep in his carriage, as his green-tinted Horse of a Different Color idled. Visibly shocked and shaken at the thought of being caught sleeping on the job, which was frowned upon among the cab drivers of Oz and usually meant the forfeiture of this duty, Dorothy promised to keep her mouth shut if the cabbie took her to Boq's home. He emphatically agreed to these terms, and the purple-tinted horse began trotting its way to the Mayor's home.

Once the cab arrived, Dorothy quickly disembarked and hurried over to the front door of the very upscale-looking Munchkinland mansion, rapping hard upon the door.

She obviously took a risk in possibly interrupting Boq's sleep, but she could not wait any further. She had to share her decision before any further doubt compelled her to reconsider.

A second round of rapping, beyond the silence that ensued past the first, finally rewarded the munchkin tutor with the sound of footsteps approaching the door. In the next moment, it finally opened.

Dorothy had to admit that Boq looked especially charming in his silken, one-piece green and white-striped nightclothes, with a matching stocking cap on his head. His hair was a bit of a shambles, but at least his facial hair still looked the same. She had to suppress a giggle upon sighting the endearing little man.

"Whuh…uhh…oh, _OH!_" The recognition of who it was finally hit him as his vision sharpened to full clarity. "M…Miss Dorothy! My word, dear lady…is everything all right?" He wearily asked.

"Your honor," Dorothy began. "I apologize for waking you, but there's something really important that I need to share with you, and it can't wait until morning."

Boq nodded, and then his head tilted in curiosity. "Yes?"

"I've made up my mind." Dorothy resolutely remarked. "I'm going to accept your offer."

* * *

**Dum, dum, duuuummmm. ;)**

**What do you think, dear readers? Would it be so bad to see Dorothy Gale spend the rest of her life as a munchkin? Or would you have preferred to see her as the patchwork girl she used to be?**

**I'd be curious to hear your opinions, so long as you don't get cheeky!**


	4. IV: Showtime!

As Betsy had been performing the act with Oscar a great many times since joining the circus, the athletic Oklahoma girl spent a majority of the morning setting their whole performance up once Gruf confirmed to them that the craftsmen were actively preparing the costumes and props to their specifications.

When Oscar went over them, however, he ventured ideas which seemed entirely impossible to Betsy, but the one-time wizard of Oz requested specific powders from plants native to the fairyland to make what was thought to be impossible, possible. Tricks which could make their grand performance even better than it was in the circus. Improvements which seemed entirely radical on paper, but given everything Oscar had learned in his time as the ruler of Oz, it was all deceptively simple.

Inevitably, they agreed to take a break. Particularly with lunchtime beckoning their appetites in a couple of hours. As anxious as Betsy was, however, she decided to step outside the Tin Palace and spend a bit of time practicing leaps, tumbles, and cartwheels upon the fields beyond the bridge.

Having changed into a loose-fitting outfit designed to accommodate the movements of acrobats, and which was freely donated by a wandering entertaininer within the palace, Betsy Bobbin began exercising herself, doing stretches and a few other calisthenics to keep her young body toned and limber.

As she continued to work up a bit of a sweat, however, Betsy began to get the feeling that she was being watched. Although she glanced around curiously, she could not tell where this eavesdropper could be. At least, not yet.

Within a few leaps and bounds, however, she finally caught the sound of rustling leaves as she crouched, following a roll. Behind her, and to the left.

Betsy rose to her feet, doing balletic backflips at first…

…and then, she vaulted back in the direction of whoever this eavesdropper was. While airborne, she clearly saw the intruder begin to run.

It was a young, dark-haired boy clad in purple clothes.

Her hands caught the branch of a nearby tree, and she swung in the boy's direction, giving herself enough forward momentum to be able to land right in front of him. The fleeing boy nearly collided with Betsy as the acrobat's hands went to her hips.

"Watchin' me without my knowin' you were there?" Betsy frowned. "That's _rude_."

The boy raised his hands in alarmed restraint. "Don't hurt me! I was just curious!"

Betsy maintained her frown. "Who're you?"

"Please…I won't be any trouble." The boy…who was a year or two younger than Betsy…kept a distance, sitting on the aged stump of a tree. "My name is Woot. I'm one of the gillikins."

Betsy's head tilted in her puzzlement. "What's a gilly-kin?"

Woot shrugged, smiling. "No different from any other normal person in Oz, except we come from the northern lands. Just like almost everyone around here is a winkie."

"What's the diff'rence?" Betsy asked.

"It's in the color of the clothes we wear, mostly." Woot explained. "Gillikins wear purple clothes. Winkies wear yellow. People in the Quadling Country to the south wear red, and most munchkins in Munchkinland to the east of the Emerald City wear blue."

"An' the Em'rald City people wear...green?" Betsy wondered aloud.

"If they work there, yeah." Woot confirmed.

"My name's Betsy Bobbin, by th' way. Can y' guess what I'm gonna ask you next?" Betsy then inquired, smirking.

"Ummm…why…was I watching you?"

"I was thinkin' more along th' lines of 'what're y' doin' here'," Betsy surmised aloud. "but what you said works too."

Woot blushed in his admission, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Well…it's…kind of embarrassing, but…I wanna ask the Emperor a question."

Betsy blinked. "So? Go on in an' ask!"

"He's always been busy." Woot countered. "I mean, with the rebuilding and all. And then, there's that banquet tonight."

"Wha'd y' wanna ask him about?"

Woot looked hesitant at first, but he then sighed, feeling compelled to share. "Well…I wanted to ask him about Nimmie Amee."

Betsy nodded. "Who's that?"

Woot frowned at this. "Are you from around here?"

Betsy frowned back. "No. So y' might as well tell me who she is."

"OK, OK…" Woot blushed in embarrassment. "...but first, I need to ask you. Do you know what the Emperor used to be _before_ he became the tin man?"

Betsy shook her head.

"He was a munchkin woodcutter." Woot revealed. "In those days, he met a really pretty young munchkin named Nimmie Amee, and they fell in love with each other. But…there was one really _big _problem."

Betsy tilted her head curiously. "Which was?"

"Nimmie was the maidservant of the Wicked Witch of the East." Woot replied. "When the witch found out, she warned Nimmie not to see Nick anymore. But Nick loved her too much. He couldn't stay away. So, the witch put a curse on Nick's woodcutter's axe. Every time he tried to cut a tree with it, the axe hit _him,_ instead. For every part of his body he lost, he had a tinsmith replace it. Nick never caught on that his axe was cursed, so he kept using it."

"An' that's why he looks th' way he does now." Betsy concluded.

"The only thing missing was his heart." Woot added. "He got that from the wizard of Oz for helping Dorothy Gale kill the Wicked Witch of the West."

"Did Nimmie ev'r find out?" Betsy asked.

Woot shrugged. "Don't know, but I heard that the East Witch was looking for a bunch of herbs in Munchkinland. I think that had something to do with Nimmie, like…she wanted to cast a spell on her or something. Dorothy's house dropped on her as she was pulling the herbs."

"Huh." Betsy mused. "Bad luck."

"I wanted to ask the Emperor about Nimmie. What happened to her since the death of the East Witch?" Woot wondered aloud. "Where did Nimmie go after that rotten ol' witch's home was destroyed?"

Betsy's hands went to her hips. "Have you ev'n _tried _t' ask?"

Woot lowered his head again. "I couldn't do that, Betsy. He's the _Emperor_."

"_You _can't." Betsy then grabbed Woot's wrist and began dragging him towards the bridge. "But _we _can! Let's go!"

The steadfast girl ignored all of Woot's protests as she pulled the younger boy behind him. Eventually resigning himself to following Betsy's lead, Woot followed behind, the Oklahoma girl's tight grip on his wrist eventually loosening.

Their first stop, logically, was the throne room. Nick, however, was not there.

Betsy then heard Woot gasp, and she suddenly saw him rush for a hiding spot. Looking around curiously, the girl saw that one of the armored guards flanking the entranceway to the throne room was approaching her.

"Hail, Betsy!" The guard firmly remarked. "May I assist you?"

"Uh, sure." Betsy looked a little surprised by the guard's greeting. "Where'd the Emp'ror go?"

"He oversaw the night watch's work on the banquet area." The guard reported. "He could still be there."

After giving Betsy directions on how to get there, the Oklahoma girl nodded in acknowledgement. The guard saluted Betsy and then turned to resume his post.

Walking over to where Woot had gone, she could not see him anywhere…

…until she turned around and let out a yelp, seeing him standing right behind her!

"Don't _do_ that!" Betsy exclaimed. "I could've _bopp'd _you one!" She raised a fist in emphasis, frowning to the boy.

"OK! Sorry!" Woot shrank back, keeping his voice hushed. "If that guard saw me, he'd report me to Gruf!"

"Well, come on." Betsy took Woot's wrist again. "I know where Nick is."

Remembering the guard's directions, and with both Betsy and Woot on the lookout for Gruf, they carefully made their way over to the _very_ large banquet area, which was quite lavishly decorated, and had a huge stage space in the center of the room which had been designed according to the specifications Oscar and Betsy had outlined. Both Betsy and Woot looked entirely amazed by the setup. Their eyes boggled in their awe.

Taking slow steps back, the both of them felt a pair of cold tin hands rest on a shoulder, and they gasped.

"Ooh! Sorry…didn't mean to scare you." Nick smiled as he looked down on the two young visitors. "Not bad, eh? I think those craftsmen outdid themselves here!"

His eyes then went to Woot. "You know…you look _awfully _familiar…"

Woot nodded. "I was at your last banquet, sir. I heard the story you told about Nimmie. I…wanted to ask you something about it."

"The one we had two _weeks _ago?" Nick remarked with some surprise. "Why wait so long to ask me?"

"Gruf kept telling me you were busy." Woot answered.

"_Really? _I'll have to have a word with him, then! We're not so busy nowadays compared to the restoration period." Nick lowered to a knee in front of Woot. "Go on, then. What was it you wanted to ask?"

"Well…you told us about Nimmie," Woot noted. "but…I wanted to know what happened to her. I mean, after the Wicked Witch of the East died."

Nick had to take a moment to think on this, and he smiled as he glanced to the little boy. "You know…that's a very, very good question. I've been so busy helping the winkies recover, I never actually made an effort to try and find her." He then stepped over to settle himself into one of the nearby seats. "But then…it's been so long. I guess the reason I put it off was because, well…I didn't think she'd recognize me. Or even remember me. Part of the reason I wanted a heart was because I wanted to be able to _feel _the love I had for Nimmie. Now that I have it, I…well, I felt more for the winkies than I did for just Nimmie."

"Is Nimmie a winkie?" Betsy asked.

Nick shook his head. "She is a very beautiful, and a very kind _munchkin_ girl."

"I think you should look for her." Woot remarked. "If she's still alive, and no one can die or grow old anymore, you should go and find her."

"I think so too." Betsy added.

Nick gave this some serious consideration. "Well…maybe we can make some arrangements after the banquet tonight. That banquet is gonna be really important." He looked to Woot, smiling. "We've got a _big_ surprise in store for everyone!"

"I jus' hope I don't burn myself." Betsy noted.

* * *

From a normal human perspective, they were a pile of rocks, each rock the approximate size of an adolescent child.

A larger, feminine hand plucked one of these rocks from a large clay bowl, however, and a second hand leveled an index finger at it.

The rock's texture and mass softened within moments, going from its dull gray color to a more golden brown appearance. Whatever dry soil was upon its surface disappeared, leaving behind what the rock had changed into by virtue of an application of powerful transformation magic.

The rock was now a soft, warm biscuit.

Lifting a butter knife, the hands sliced the biscuit open as a square of butter sat idle on a saucer. The butter knife then scooped up the butter square and smoothed it upon the exposed insides of the biscuit.

Bringing the two halves of the partially-cut biscuit together, the humanoid woman holding the buttered biscuit turned her eyes to a large cage hanging from the ceiling.

Within this cage, sitting on a wooden perch, was a small yellow bird. It made no noise whatsoever, and it looked particularly sullen. Were it not for the occasional movements of the bird's head, it could have been mistaken for a stuffed animal.

But it simply sat there, regarding nothing other than its surroundings.

The woman…who was _much _taller than the height any normal human could attain through natural growth…sighed with disappointment, and opened her mouth so she could deposit the buttered biscuit into it.

"Are you not a canary, Polly?" The giant woman remarked unto the bird once she swallowed her biscuit. "I know you are not a mute, little bird. Sing a sweet tune for me."

The canary, however, remained silent and sullen.

Sighing loudly, her gaze turned away disdainfully…and then fell on that of a very well-rendered portrait representation of not only the woman herself, but that of a man wearing a silver-braided, pink velvet suit, and a hat with a a huge pink feather.

The large woman smirked at the image of herself and that…_thing_…smiling contentedly. As they were among the few giants left in existence, she had thought that their union would be a mutually affectionate and loving one. If not right away, then in the time patience required.

Had she known, however, how horribly distasteful a person the Yoop…who like her was also a giant, but not the Yookoohoo she was…turned out to be, she would never have agreed to marry him.

It didn't matter, though. The quadlings now had him imprisoned at a large space within a mountain range. She didn't know anything about the situation that led to his capture, and she quite frankly did not care.

She was just glad to be rid of him.

But living in solitude in the castle they had built in a remote region of the Gillikin Country was something the giantess could not bear for very long. Hence her desire to find a pet.

Since she had acquired the canary, Mrs. Yoop had provided for the bird. Food, water…whatever her pet needed to be able to survive. The cage was spacious enough as well. Hardly too confining, and not at all treacherous and unpleasant-looking.

Yet, the canary stayed silent.

It occurred to the sullen giantess that perhaps the presence of another living, breathing pet would make Polly a little less melancholy.

And all she had to do was to lure one in.

* * *

Betsy could feel the excitement building in her gut as she laid out what the winkie craftsmen had made for her to wear in the dressing area that was established near the banquet area. She could already smell the fresh and delicious food that would be brought out for guests to arrange onto their plates.

All she had said was that the outfit needed to be loose-fitting, and designed to accommodate the acrobatics evident in her routine. Betsy had also said that it needed to look festive, without being clown-like. Fortunately, the tailors knew what she had meant when she used the term 'clown', which made her wonder if there were such a thing as circuses in this strange new land.

If there weren't, she mused to herself, the guests at the banquet were certainly going to get a taste of it tonight.

She tried on the colorful outfit, and found that the craftsmen had significantly honored her specifications, while at the same time creating a lively design motif. Although Betsy, being as young as she was, knew little to nothing of the concept, it can be explained…for simplicity's sake…that her outfit owed much to the colorful harlequins of the 16th and 17th century, as the loose-fitting white outfit was decorated with a multicolored pattern of small, embroidered diamond shapes. In the center of each diamond was a small, glittering stone. Perhaps a small piece of the actual diamonds each one was emulating.

Having enough space to practice her choreographed movements, she found that the outfit worked quite splendidly. At no point did she need to fear that the outfit would rip, or tear.

But there was one other detail that needed to be added to her overall look before she could consider herself ready, and time was growing short for the woman that had been assigned to provide it.

She needed to have her makeup done.

Betsy had noted that she could do it on her own, but the makeup woman…whose name was Celeste…had insisted on doing the job personally. The craftsmen assured Betsy that she would be in very capable hands once Celeste began working on her. She was even told that Celeste had experience working on hair as well, which certainly factored into her agreement to have her work on Betsy.

But _where was she? _Betsy thought. She needed to be ready to go in _fifteen minutes!_

It began to dawn on her, as she continued waiting, that she would need to go as-is. No makeup, no hairstyling. At least the audiences would get the performance itself…

…but then, a pudgy head with short, curly, bright red hair angled its wide, curious eyes and a pair of full red lips to the concerned Oklahoma girl, whose back was turned.

"_Pardonnez-moi?_" The woman's deep voice began, startling Betsy as she turned to face the direction of the voice. "Are you _Betsy_, dear?"

The young acrobat nodded. "Uh-huh. Are you Celeste?"

With a pirouette, the large-bodied woman exposed her visibly extravagant appearance for Betsy to stare in awe upon. The outfit reminded her of the flamboyantly puffy, but gorgeous and colorful outfits worn by upper-class citizens and nobles of the italian renaissance era, complete with all the frilly cuffs and collars that went with it. A pleasant perfume scent reached Betsy's nose, as well.

The heavy-set woman presented herself with a flourish. "Indeed, I am!" She then stepped towards Betsy and began to look her over. "Hmmm…yes, I think we can do something with this…" Celeste murmured as she paced around the young girl.

"Um…I don't think we'll have a lot o' time, Miss Celeste." Betsy remarked. "I need t' be ready in…"

"About ten minutes, yes?" Celeste interjected. "My dear, I can have you a-_maaaa_-zingly ready in just under _five._"

Betsy blinked, her eyes widening in disbelief. "That fast? But…"

Celeste placed a pudgy finger to the skeptical Oklahoma girl's lips as she settled her into a nearby seat she had pulled out. "When you have talents as unique as mine, dear girl, you shall find that the implements typically used in this ritual are practically a pale, and time-consuming imitation of the kind of special touch that _dazzling _outfit of yours demands!"

Celeste's fingertips began to sparkle and glow, and Betsy frowned warily as the larger woman began to dance around her, waving her hands about and generating sparkling, glowing paths that seemed to settle upon the Oklahoma girl, making her emanate a light, but visible glow…

_A touch of sparkle here, and a dibble-dabble there,  
__it's a trifle when you're treated to the trick!  
__Why bother with irritants and smells you can't bear  
__when it's as easy as a swish and a flick?  
__Now my manner may be pert, but just relax! It won't hurt!  
__You might grow to enjoy this second skin!  
__There's no need for alert, for the work of my assert  
__disappears as if you've tossed it in a bin!_

_Str-r-r-ream and str-r-r-reak and pr-r-r-res-ti-digi-POO!  
__Then a dash of fala-fulmino-fr-r-r-reep!  
__In a blink, the magnifique' of my will spreads to YOU  
__and bear in mind, there's no charge! It's yours to keep!_

Betsy couldn't help but giggle and writhe at the tickling feelings this lively display of actual magic was provoking as the energies settled upon her skin. She knew the energies were providing her with decoration, but the glows upon her skin were too bright for her to see through. It was as if her entire body…from her head down to her toes…were covered with a harmless cocoon of bright energy.

_Now what shall we do with these unkempt curls  
__that mass, untreated, on your head?  
__Who needs shampoo when my will-working whirls  
__could re-invigorate your follicles instead?  
__With the spark of my inspire, let your curls be as FIRE  
__of the bright and beautiful kind!  
__And the mobs, they will admire! Hear their octaves go higher!  
__Leave the awe of your appearance in the mind!_

_Str-r-r-ream and str-r-r-reak and pr-r-r-res-ti-digi-POO!  
__Then a dash of fala-fulmino-fr-r-r-reep!  
__In a blink, the magnifique' of my will spreads to YOU  
__and bear in mind, there's no charge! It's yours to keep!_

Betsy's hair now set off a bright glow once the magical energies Celeste generated were absorbed into the Oklahoma girl's exposed curls. She began to wonder if the bright magical energies _were _the intended decoration.

But Celeste had the young girl rise from her seat, and she guided her glowing subject over to a nearby mirror. By now, the Oklahoma girl felt a lingering warmth all over her body, as if she had been lying beneath a hot sun long enough to tan her skin.

The glows, however, were growing weaker, and as Betsy began to see the details generated by the larger woman's magic, her eyes gradually widened.

"Behold, my sweet _mademoiselle_." Celeste announced as the glowing completely abated. "A Queen of Diamonds!"

Now as most artists who dabble with the decorative dust called 'glitter' would know, it is meant to be sprinkled to provide a kind of sparkling touch. Betsy's exposed skin, on the other hand, was now no different than a full container of the material. The high concentration of the silvery material that replaced the normal appearance of her flesh made her look somewhat astral in appearance. Given the light in the area, she certainly sparkled with every move she made. Colored concentrations could be seen as well, and these patterns were shaped into large diamond shapes around her body, matching the diamonds on the outfit. As with the design of the outfit, the diamonds alternated between the colors of green, red, blue, purple, and yellow…the representative colors of the four lands of Oz, and the Emerald City.

Betsy was also in awe as to how her hair now appeared. Now arranged into a mass of tight ringlets, every follicle of her hair now emanated a fiery glow. It practically pulsated with the illusion of intense heat, although when the amazed Oklahoma girl brought her hand near the ringlets, she felt no heat whatsoever. Rubbing a hand over the glittery surfaces of her skin confirmed that they still had the texture of her normal skin despite its radically different appearance.

The overall effect was jaw-dropping, and her mouth hung open in disbelief. The appearance went _very _well with her outfit. Even when she added the elbow-length gloves, and the white ruff, that completed the costume.

As Betsy marveled at her appearance, Celeste giggled at the Oklahoma girl's reaction, but she then began hurriedly guiding Betsy away from the makeup area. "Five minutes! That's all you have left, _mon chere'_! Do hasten to your place!"

Quickly acknowledging the hint, Betsy nodded and began heading towards her ready area…but not before stopping and hurrying back over to Celeste, pulling her down by the arm to kiss her cheek. "Thank you, Miss Celeste! This looks _amaaazin'!_"

"Save any questions for _later_, Queen of Diamonds!" The large woman made a 'shoo' gesture, smiling sweetly. "Now hurry on over!"

Celeste smiled pleasantly as Betsy performed a few cartwheels in her journey to her starting position at the rear of the stage, and saw streams of illusionary glitter trace momentary paths in the sky where her glittery limbs had zipped past.

Betsy could hardly wait to see the amazed reactions of the crowd. Hank was initially alarmed, but she assured him that the appearance was apparently temporary. As for Oscar Diggs, who was in a wizardly costume of his own, topped with an emerald-colored turban, he was struck speechless when he spotted his radically-decorated orphan friend stepping into her place. His eyes boggled noticeably.

But before Oscar could say anything, Betsy put a finger to her own bright red-painted lips.

* * *

A multitude of guests from all four lands, and many from the Emerald City, filled the immense banquet room as the time for the pre-meal entertainment was within minutes of beginning. The meals were arranged in a long row, and were covered with tin domes until it was time to begin serving the delicious meals being offered.

It was entirely obvious that the more prominent guest to take a prime viewing spot for the performance to come was the princess Ozma herself, who had dressed in a beautiful, emerald-colored evening gown. She still wore her large flowerhead-sided crown, and she carried her long, golden wand as the fairy girl nodded pleasantly to the applauding crowds, flashing her lovely smile. Similarly acknowledging the crowd was her much-beloved royal advisor, the Scarecrow of Oz, who walked alongside the ruler of the land, and settled into a seat next to her.

A similar acknowledgement was given to the Mayor of Munchkinland, although the applause was not so much for him as for the round-bodied munchkin tutor he had in his arm. Dorothy waved, smiling sweetly, as they advanced to their seats near Ozma.

Boq turned to the former human from Kansas. "We…could make the announcement tonight, you know. Sometime before, during, or even after the meals."

"I'd rather we didn't, your honor." Dorothy replied. "In fact, I was wondering if we could wait until I was tested by Professor Wogglebug. I mean, I know _you _are certain I deserve that title, but _I _need to make sure I'm suitable for it."

Boq thought on this, and then nodded in acknowledgement, smiling cordially. "As you wish, my dear."

Once the two munchkins took their seats, another pair of guests were loudly acknowledged by the crowd, and they nodded cordially to the grateful people of Oz with sweet smiles on their faces. Glinda and Locasta took their places to the left and right of the princess Ozma, standing just behind her. Locasta glanced to Dorothy and gave her a wink, which turned the munchkin tutor's cheeks a bright red as she looked down bashfully, smiling.

Yet another burst of applause was given to a more unique group from the Quadling lands, and these guests were unique in that they were all animals from the quadling forest. As they were led by their King…once regarded as the Cowardly Lion…and his close friend and majordomo, the Hungry Tiger, everyone felt a little safer knowing that the most renowned members of the King's Legion of Courage was among them.

Just behind the King and the Tiger were its three strongest members. Brawn the Bear, who fancied himself the strongest bear in all of Oz, but who desired to be smart enough to use his gifts effectively. Biff the Rhino walked next to the bear with a very distant and self-contemplative expression for one so naturally intimidating. He was renowned for being a very protective sort of member, but he frequently lost himself in an apparent desire for profundity. Like he wanted the answer to life, the universe, and everything. It was the kind of answer no ordinary person could truly give him. To Biff's right was Brocius, a proud and virtuous gorilla who always held his head high.

Behind these three were Shade, who believed herself to be the fastest and the most elusive panther in all of Oz, if not the Legion of Courage itself. Although they were friends, a rivalry still lingered between Shade and the black-striped, orange-furred tigress next to her, and this feisty, headstrong fighter was called Rouse. Clopping along next to Rouse was the Legion's strategist, a unicorn from a Gillikin Country woodland region called the Forest of Gugu, and this unicorn's name was Ali. Openly savoring the crowd's adoration, much to Ali's visible irritation, was the winged baboon called Koup(which was pronounced 'coo'). Part of Ali's irritation stemmed from Koup being on the unicorn's back, believing…as always…that he was the most important and the most popular member of the Legion of Courage.

"AWOOO-WOO-WOO-WOO-WOO!" Koup cried out, throwing his arms to the side and angling his head to the skies, as he drank in the crowd's apparent adoration. Such was the baboon's frequent battle cry. But the baboon's peripheral vision caught the stern, narrow-eyed expression…and a growl…of disdain from the large black and white-furred panda walking next to Ali. This was the group's ordained discipline officer, and she was called Bo.

Koup, looking quite intimidated, tried flourishing to "Big B", as he called her, to try and share the wealth of his adorations, but the panda just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she made her way to her reserved place.

Master General Commander Jinjur and her friend, Belay, marched to their row…alongside several officers and soldiers…with all the military precision their munchkin commander had taught them. Once they were in their seats, they eased into a less formal and less rigid motif.

Front row seats were filled by a more particular group of young human and munchkin children, as per the Emperor's wishes. Throughout the tyranny of the East and West Witches, there were those who had lost their parents to the cruel and sorcerous evil of the malevolent sisters. As they took their places for the performance, Emperor Nicholas himself stepped over to personally greet and welcome each and every one of them.

What he didn't realize was that the young gillikin boy, Woot, was among them.

Nick gasped when he spotted him in the seat he had chosen. "Woot! I…I didn't know your parents were…!"

Woot lowered his head a little. "I don't even know what had happened to them. They just…disappeared. I came back from one of my wanderings, and they were gone."

"How long ago was this?" Nick asked.

"A couple of weeks before Dorothy's house dropped down." Woot replied.

"Maybe Ozma can help you find them." Nick then offered. "Her magic picture can find anything and anyone no matter where they are!"

"I don't think that's gonna help." Woot responded. "My mom and dad _hated_ those witches. When I checked around our house for them, I found a big note that I knew was written by the Wicked Witch of the East. All it said was 'behave yourself'. In big letters."

Nick sighed lamentedly. He then placed a tin-plated hand at the boy's right cheek in sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Woot."

Woot nodded. "Thank you. I…don't really wanna think about that right now. I'm really looking forward to seeing Betsy again tonight."

Nick nodded, smiling. "Won't be long now! We're about to begin!"

The tin-plated Emperor then continued to meet and greet the other orphans.

Woot's mind couldn't help but drift back to that horrible day as he waited. It was his habit to step away from the manner of living that he deemed so boring, and venture out for another day of wandering. He was the only child in his family as well.

His mother and father, however, were sympathetic to the plights of the people of the eastern and western countries of Oz. Husbands drawn away from their wives and children by the merciless enchantments that bound their minds to serve the whims of the Wicked Witch of the West, cursing them all with her horrible, green-skinned visage in so doing. Munchkins suffering and even dying to the reign of terror wrought by the bullying Wicked Witch of the East, who was always the stronger of the two in magic use.

They also tried to rally the gillikins towards a plan to try and capture the West Witch, and perhaps blackmail her sister into ending the torments she and the green-skinned, black-garbed crone had been putting their countless victims through on a daily basis. Such was the reputation of these two witches, however, that no one ever dared to act against them. All too common was the excuse that it was a Munchkinland matter(in the case of the East Witch), and/or a Winkie matter(the West Witch). Woot overheard them once contemplating an effort to stir up support among the quadlings in the south lands. The following day, however, was the day his parents disappeared, and the day Woot discovered the note upon his return from a wander to the Quadling Country's Jinxland region.

As much as he did very much love his parents, being on his own, and being self-sufficient, appealed to him more than waiting for his parents to assign another boring and tedious household chore to him. Although there were obvious limits to his wanderings, given the dangerous nature of the enchanted desert border region that surrounded Oz, the land was vast enough…and varied enough…to warrant frequent trips outside of the boundaries of his Gillikin Country home.

Now that they were gone, however, he was missing them terribly. He now regretted all those wanderings. He wondered if things would have been different had he remained with his parents more often than all those times in which he had willingly gone astray.

Woot felt a lump at his throat, and a tear rolled down his cheek. He didn't interrupt its progress, and it dripped, undisturbed, off of his chin.

His melancholy was then interrupted by the sound of winkie musicians playing a momentous melody. The show was about to begin!

The appearance of Emperor Nicholas, standing before the crowds, was answered by a round of thunderous applause from the many guests in attendance. Koup even gave him his standard battlecry in respect, although this earned him a hard slap from Bo's furry paw in response.

"Good evening, fellow winkies and honored guests." Nick began, smiling. "Although large banquets are not uncommon here at the tin palace, tonight is particularly special for the really _big_ surprise we have in store for you all."

Dorothy glanced to Ozma, knowing very well who Nick was referring to. At the same time, they brought index fingers to their lips, smiling.

"Let me first call attention to the young children in the front row here." Nick gestured to them. "Although they survived the tyranny and the destruction wrought by the Wicked Witches of the East and the West, their parents were unfortunate victims of their cruelty. We hope that in their individual decisions to stay young, or grow old, that they will not let these misfortunes get in the way of becoming good and honorable citizens of the land of Oz. May the memories of their mothers and fathers encourage them all to move forward in the lives and the fates that lie ahead of them."

The children smiled at the spirited round of applause they were given. A couple of them waved back to the crowds.

Nick once again regarded the crowds. "There is one other orphan among us tonight, but she had found a very familiar friend in her time outside of the nonestic lands. Someone who inspired the people of Oz to rise up against a tide of deceptive oppression attempted many dark years ago. In their time together, they made a great many people happy as they performed alongside not only equally talented humans, but animals as well, although those particular animals weren't as _talkative _as those in the land of Oz tend to be."

Ripples of amused laughter could be heard among the crowds as Nick walked off…

…and then, a large tin ring a few feet away from where Nick was standing went ablaze with a *_FWOOF_*, generating startled gasps from the crowds. The music from the winkie bands once again became momentous, the sound of a drum roll building anticipation.

A thin layer of cloth, shaped in a circle at the top of a large ramp…and lightly, subtly perforated so as to allow one to burst through…displayed the stylized insignia used by Bailum &amp; Barney's Great Consolidated Shows. Beneath this were written the words "proudly presents…"

Two large tin posts flanking the ramp suddenly fired jets of green flame upwards, once again startling the crowd.

Dorothy Gale, Boq, Glinda, Nick Chopper, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion all smiled wide as the image of the large, intimidating, and _very _familiar green head of the great and powerful Oz materialized between the flames. A light shined bright behind the cloth circle, and the silhouette of a curly-haired girl wearing a bonnet and a long dress could be seen.

Jinjur's eyes went wide with shock, although she was not in the state of amazement and surprise those who knew this long-absent image of Oz openly displayed.

A familiar voice then boomed forth as Oscar spoke his voice into the machine the winkies had built for him. "I…AM…_OZ! _THE GREAT AND POWERFUL!"

Jinjur's face was quite bitter, but she remained quiet. Everyone else was on their feet cheering _very_ loudly! As Ozma had never met, nor had she experienced the spectacle of being in front of the image and the voice Oscar used during his long reign as the ruler of Oz, she was considerably amazed.

Another flame burst from the tin posts, however, silenced them all. "BEHOOOLD! THE BRAVE YOUNG GIRL WHO RISKED HER LIFE TO FIND ME WHEN I WAS LOST!" The voice boomed. "WHAT WOULD YOU ASK OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ?"

Her normal voice, transmitted by a small device attached to the fake dress she wore over her harlequin outfit, answered in a nervous voice she had practiced. "I…I wish…t' shine an' sparkle, like a diamond. I want t' be fast! I want t' _fly!_"

Another burst of green flame fired upwards. The green face looked surprised for a moment, and then looked to the crowd. "AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A PONY."

Loud laughter could be heard from the crowds, highly amused by Oscar's mirth.

"SO BE IT!" The voice then boomed loudly. "BY THE EMINENT AND GENEROUS WILL OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ, IT SHALL…BE…_SO!_"

Multicolored lights flashed wildly behind the cloth veil, accompanied by loud bangs and zaps of energy(generated by Oscar's machine, of course), and the silhouette of the girl seemed to stagger back as if she were hit by a powerful blast of energy.

Rolling back on the other side of the circle veil, winkie attendants quickly removed the fake dress and the bonnet she wore, and Betsy prepared for her first big move. Beside her, Hank similarly waited. They were ready to move as one, as they had practiced so many times.

The crowds in front of the stage? They were all too curious to see what had happened to the girl!

Another burst of green flame, and another drum roll broke the silence that followed. The green head then boomed Oscar's voice once again. "STEP FORWARD…BETSY BOBBIN, QUEEN OF DIAMONDS!"

Betsy and Hank took off, the glittery Oklahoma girl heading up a ramp back towards the cloth circle, and Hank galloping past the right side of the ramp to emerge out front. Illusionary glitter streamed behind her as Betsy rushed up the ramp.

The young acrobat then _burst _through the circle veil, practically exploding through it as she spun in mid-air. Her feet landed on Hank's back and he began his fast rounds in front of the ramp, Betsy balancing herself upon the mule's back and presenting herself to the amazement of the crowds, who cheered loudly and were in awe of how she appeared, just as Celeste had predicted.

"_Amazing!_" Belay exclaimed. "Truly, the powers of the great Oz are just as magnificent as they used to be!"

"It's all an _act, _Belay." Jinjur grumbled. "A _setup._"

Two other large rings were moved into the performance area by winkie attendants, and these rings _also _went ablaze. Hank maneuvered towards one of these side rings as per their rehearsals. Betsy, being assured that the fire around the rings was purely illusionary, was unafraid, and she vaulted herself right through each of them as Hank made his passes.

Belay gasped, however. "The Queen of Diamonds is immune to flame!"

Jinjur sighed loudly, shutting her eyes in irritation, still annoyed over her friend's gullibility. She stayed quiet, however, not wanting to rain on everyone's parade. At least, for the moment.

The supreme commander of the munchkin armies obviously had lingering issues with the Wizard of Oz. Ever since he was exposed to be a fraud. Jinjur grew up believing in his great power and influence, and absolutely believed he was the best hope Oz had for eventually overcoming the evil of the East and West Witches. Once Dorothy's little dog, Toto, pulled aside the curtain exposing the enigmatic entity to be nothing more than a silly old illusionist, however, her opinion of Oscar Diggs soured significantly. She had even believed that he had put the Scarecrow in power as a kind of placeholder, and that the straw-stuffed monarch would quickly hand the seat of power back to the charlatan wizard upon his return.

The coup she had acted upon, however, to prevent this possibility backfired when a shoemaker named Ugu exploited it as a means to take control of the Emerald City after having enslaved the gillikin witch, Mombi, to his will using the booby-trapped ruby slippers Dorothy Gale once wore.

Although it was ultimately through the interventions of Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, and Locasta…the restored Good Witch of the North…that Ugu was deposed, Jinjur's disdain for the Wizard remained. She hoped he would never return.

But, lo and behold, there he was. No doubt he was this 'big surprise' the Emperor wanted to reveal.

She tried to refrain from thinking any further on her gripes, trying to enjoy the way the 'Queen of Diamonds' was sailing through the obviously illusionary hoops. Still…whoever this glitter-skinned, glitter-trailing young girl was, she had potential given her natural agility and her great sense of balance, and that was something she had obviously been trained to perform. If only she had been born a munchkin, Jinjur mused to herself.

The mule finally came to a halt in front of the crowd, and Betsy was balancing herself…on one foot…on the mule's steady head. Her other leg had been brought up against the side of her body. She then vaulted forward, spinning twice in the air before landing with a flourish, glitter streams trailing behind her. Grinning wide, she drank in the standing ovation of the audience as she panted exhaustedly.

She felt _wonderful! _Celeste was right, too…she was already getting accustomed to the look she had been given. Betsy didn't smell or feel anything aside from a slight, full-body warmth. It otherwise felt as if there was no makeup on her at all.

But there was more to the act as Betsy put a finger to her lips, signaling the wildly-cheering crowd to quiet down. She then turned and slowly walked towards the ramp she had burst through. She then went to her knees, and bowed her head to the ground as if humbling herself before a deity.

The bursts of green flame flared up once again. Once, twice, and then a third time. The image of the head of the 'great Oz' re-materialized.

"SINCE THE DAY THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ ROUTED THE WICKED WITCH-SISTERS OF OZ YEARS AGO, THIS IS HOW MOST OF YOU REMEMBER _SEEING_ THE ONE-TIME RULER OF YOUR LAND." The voice then boomed. "AND NOW…THE GREAT AND POWERFUL PRINCESS _OZMA _HAS SUCCEEDED ME!"

Jinjur's expression went wary. She wondered if some far more deadly illusion would follow. Her muscles tensed in readiness.

But the huge green head continued speaking. "TO CONFRONT THIS MARVELOUS AND MAGICAL YOUNG FAIRY, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ…"

Jinjur prepared to leap forward and charge…

"…MUST _STEP OUT_ FROM BEHIND THE CURTAIN!" The voice then bellowed.

The plumes of green flame then sustained a long discharge of fire upwards as the image of the intimidating head slowly dissolved. Jinjur frowned in confusion at this.

One last blast of the booming voice was heard before two shafts of bright light fired towards the broken cloth circle.

"STEP _FORWARD_…OSCAR, ZOROASTER, PHAEDRIG, ISSAC, NORMAN, HENKEL, EMMANUEL, AMBROISE, DIGGS…THE _MAN_ BEHIND THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ!"

After a moment, the man himself…clad in his costume and feathered turban…stepped into the lights as Betsy rose from her position on the ground. Oscar squinted for a moment, and then pleasantly smiled as he walked down the ramp towards a table that had been pulled over by Betsy, and a pair of winkie stagehands.

Belay turned to Jinjur, looking a little alarmed. "He was really a _man?_ How outrageous! How wildly ironic!" He quietly observed.

With another loud sigh, the Master General Commander settled back in her seat.

The crowds were otherwise silent. Many of them were also surprised to see that the great Oz was a man. At least, those who did not pay witness…like Belay…to the exposure of the Wizard's true nature through the suspicions of Dorothy Gale's smart little dog.

Oscar's eyes found Ozma's…and once they were upon her, they stayed there. Although she looked very young and girlish, she was nevertheless very, very beautiful. Unquestionably the most beautiful female in the room. He also saw Glinda beside her, smiling pleasantly along with her coven-sister Locasta, who he had not seen since the problems she had with a woman called Millicent Thrombey years ago.

The fullness of his gaze was on Ozma, however, as he stopped before the table. His gaze lingered for a long moment before he heard the sound of Betsy loudly clearing her throat.

Oscar blinked, and glanced to Betsy, who gestured for him to proceed with the performance.

"Oh! Yes…pardon me…" Oscar mused. He then spread his arms to the sides dramatically. "…indeed, the veil has been pulled! The great and powerful Oz, as many of you may be aware, was nothing more than a man behind a curtain! BUT…" He lifted an index finger in emphasis. "…this does not make me any less a wizard, and I humbly ask for the observance of the princess Ozma herself as I demonstrate my humble powers!" He gestured to the fairy girl, beckoning her forth.

Giggling, Ozma rose and made her way down to the table, where Oscar bowed low and respectfully, as did Betsy, who stood nearby. With a nod of acknowledgement, she gestured for the illusionist to begin.

"BEHOLD, Your Majesty…" Oscar announced in a strong voice. "…I will create something, from _nothing!_"

As he finished speaking, he brought his cupped hands together, closing his eyes as he very convincingly feigned concentration. Slowly bringing his cupped hands down to the table, Ozma gazed curiously upon them. Oscar then opened his eyes, and a smile formed on his face.

He then separated his hands, revealing the presence of a tiny piglet in the space. The curious little creature looked up to Ozma, whose eyes lit up in her surprise, gasping in amazement.

He then closed his hands over the piglet. After a moment, he separated them again. Now, _two _piglets were in the space! Ozma was again amazed. Separating them further revealed another piglet, and another, until there were nine tiny piglets looking curiously up at the fairy princess.

"They seem quite captivated by your astounding beauty, my dear." Oscar noted, smiling.

Ozma's eyes were on one of the piglets, however, and she reached out to touch this one porcine creature. The piglet responded to Ozma's touch with tiny grunts, rubbing against the offered fingers approvingly.

She then looked up to Oscar. "I wonder, Mr. Diggs, if I might keep one of them? As young Dorothy cherishes and cares for her own pets? This is a darling piglet, and I hope your other piglets won't mind."

"They won't…and neither will I, your highness." Oscar amusedly acknowledged. "Having one less piglet means one less mouth to feed, after all."

"Hey! Didja hear dat, youse mugs?" The chosen piglet exclaimed to the other eight. "Da boss is lettin' da fairy goyl _keep _me!"

"Don't fuh-get ta write!" One of the piglets remarked.

"Don't eat 'er outta house an' home!" Another of the piglets warned.

"An' don't let 'er toin youse into a mousey!" Another piglet noted.

Oscar rolled his eyes, feeling somewhat embarrassed at their outbursts. Ozma, however, giggled wildly as she picked up the piglet, handling him with a very delicate and caring touch. The audiences also found these outbursts amusing, and laughed along with the princess.

A twittering and chirping noise could then be heard, and Oscar began looking around curiously. Ozma herself looked around in her confusion.

Betsy began to look particularly confused, as the noise seemed to be coming from _her!_

Oscar finally settled his eyes on the Oklahoma girl with the glittery skin, as did Ozma. "Dear me, Betsy! You haven't swallowed a live bird, have you?"

Betsy shook her head, particularly alarmed for the fact that this was _not _a part of the pre-ordained act! "No! I don't have _nothin' _in my mouth! I _like _birds! Why would I wanna _eat _one?"

More chirping and twittering could then be heard, and Betsy was once again the apparent source. Oscar frowned, moving over to her and giving the perplexed girl a quick examination. "I wonder, my dear…might you be a bird pretending to be a girl?"

Ozma had to get into the spirit of the act. "Glittery skin, glowing, fiery hair…" the fairy princess paced around her curiously. "…maybe…" she turned her gaze to Oscar. "…a phoenix?"

Glinda arched an eyebrow as she watched this segment.

"Oh, don't be so silly!" Betsy crossed her arms resolutely. "I'm no fee-nix!"

"Then why are you making those bird noises?" Oscar asked.

Ozma placed her slender hands on her waist, looking to Betsy. "You should give those bird sounds back to whoever gave it to you, or I might want to give you a proper beak!"

Betsy shrugged, totally mystified. "I don't ev'n know where they _came _from!"

Oscar hoped that Betsy wasn't _too _upset over the unplanned demonstration of his talent for ventriloquism. He couldn't help but act on the urge to show off more of his tricks in the presence of the beautiful princess of Oz.

Ozma shrugged back, smiling. "Just draw it out of your mouth, and throw it back to whomever you think had given it to you!" She punctuated this statement with a wink that only Betsy could see.

In Betsy's head, she heard Ozma's voice speak to her, and her alone. _Just play along! Act it out! Mister Diggs is playing a trick on you. Let's get him back for it!_

Betsy blinked, and then placed her hands to her mouth. She then pushed the hands towards Oscar. At the same time, Ozma subtly circled her long, golden wand, and a large, solid bird's beak suddenly replaced the old man's mouth in the blink of an eye!

Ozma and Betsy shared a merry giggle, Jinjur laughed aloud, and the rest of the audience similarly loved this as Oscar's old hands felt at the hard, eagle-like beak, entirely amazed at what had happened to him!

He then looked to the fairy princess with a more troubled expression. He was afraid to make any noises for fear they would come out as bird-speak!

"Well? Those bird noises _did _come from you, otherwise you would not have that beak, would you?" Ozma reasoned. "Perhaps you should shake it off!"

Taking the hint quite literally, Oscar shook his head quite vigorously, and the beak quickly softened to the texture of skin and receded back, along with his nose, to its natural human shape, much to the old man's relief. Motes of glowing yellow light accompanied this restoration.

Ozma sympathetically embraced the amazed old man as the crowds erupted in a loud applause, speaking gently unto his ear as she giggled. "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Diggs. I hope you're not too upset?"

"No worries at all, your highness." Oscar assured. "I suppose I deserved that, anyway."

Ozma, Oscar, Betsy, and Hank then faced the cheering crowds and bowed low. Emperor Nicholas, the Scarecrow, Glinda, Locasta, Dorothy, Boq, the Lion and every member of his Legion…they were all roaring with appreciation, along with the rest of the audiences, for this pre-dinner performance. Betsy gestured to Oscar, compelling the audience to give him an ovation all his own, but the old man and Ozma gestured to Betsy as she received a more pronounced ovation. The blushing girl with the glittery skin…the 'Queen of Diamonds'…spun around in place, and then bowed low as the illusionary glitter that streamed around her cascaded down.

She then turned to the Wizard, tugging at the sleeve of his coat. "Uh…Mist'r Diggs…about that pony?"

Chuckles could be heard upon hearing Betsy's words.

Oscar looked a bit flustered at first, but he was able to come up with a sly, but suitable excuse. "Uh…go and come back tomorrow."

A loud laugh could be heard from those who recognized those words. Nick, the Lion, the Scarecrow, Dorothy…they all shared in this sly reminder of the past.

The Emperor then walked in front of the group of performers to face the audience. "Let's start forming a line and filling your plates! Our honored guests will go first!"

* * *

During the banquet, a great many people stepped over to where Oscar was sitting to see the man behind the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, who up until now they had known only to be an intimidating green head flanked by plumes of green flame. Betsy went over to meet and greet the orphans, Woot in particular.

As all this was happening, Dorothy simply filled her plate with a nourishing meal and returned to where she and Boq chose to sit. The Mayor looked a little concerned about this. "Don't you wish to see your old friend again, my dear?"

Dorothy nodded. "I do…but…well, not yet." She then took Boq's munchkin hands into her own. "Your honor…I wonder if I might ask a favor?"

"_Anything_, my dear." Boq confirmed.

"I'd…like to see Professor Wogglebug tomorrow morning." Dorothy requested. "I want to get my test over with. All the sooner for us to move ahead with…well, what you want me to be, right?"

Boq thought on this for a moment, and then placed his hands on Dorothy's shoulders. "Let us finish our meals quickly, then, and excuse ourselves so that we might return to Munchkinland and get enough sleep to be able to rise bright and early. I shall be most insistent upon the Professor the moment he answers his door!"

"That might be a tad uncouth, you know." An educated voice behind Boq interjected, startling the Munchkinland Mayor. Dorothy also gasped, not realizing the Professor himself was nearby. The insectoid scholar turned to face the two munchkins with a pleasant smile on his face, and a perfectly-tailored outfit upon his insectoid body.

His gaze then settled on Dorothy. "Sooo…a smidge over-anxious to complete your own compulsory pursuit of knowledge before that of your charge, eh? I do believe I can accommodate you upon tomorrow's early eve, my diminutive friend!"

"I appreciate that, Professor." Dorothy replied, smiling. She then glanced to Boq. "After all…I have a new chapter of my life to look forward to."

"Seeing to the erudition of the young is a most noble cause, Miss Dorothy." Boq declared. "I promise you will be remembered for it!"

* * *

"With all respect, Master General Commander…" Belay placed a hand upon Jinjur's shoulder as she ate. "…I honestly feel you should at least _talk _to Mr. Diggs. It is entirely possible that whatever ails you about the one-time Wizard of Oz, you can…"

"In due time, Belay." Jinjur interjected after swallowing a mouthful of food.

* * *

As Emperor Nicholas and the Scarecrow had no real need for food, their eyes were on the munchkin tutor currently speaking to Boq and the insectoid professor. They both looked troubled. "I would think that of all people, _she _would want to see the Wizard again." Nick remarked.

"Oh, I'm sure she does." The straw-stuffed royal advisor replied. "Maybe she just wants to wait until after she's restored. She probably thinks that the mere sight of her being a munchkin might upset Oscar."

"What should we tell him then?" Nick asked.

Glinda's voice interjected as she stepped in to join the two. "Say nothing for the moment. We should leave the discretion in this matter to Dorothy herself, no matter what happens."

Both Nick and the Scarecrow nodded. "You've been handling this surprisingly well, Glinda." The Scarecrow then observed. "I mean…to see Dorothy as something other than what she should be for two years."

"Well, I would have been a bit more vocal in my disagreement if it was not temporary," Glinda reasoned. "and she seems to have handled herself quite well in her time among them. Besides…this was a royal proclamation from an authority above my own. I had to respect it despite any misgivings I might have had."

"Tula will pass her examination, Glinda. You'll see." The Scarecrow assured, placing a straw-stuffed hand on her shoulder. "Dorothy was a really good tutor!"

"And Dorothy herself has learned a lot as well!" Nick added.

Glinda nodded in agreement. "I just hope Dorothy's gains do not shift her personal focus."

"GLINDA!" Oscar's voice cried out as he hurried over to the Good Witch of the South, a wide smile on his face. "I hear a mutual friend from Kansas made it safely back home not long after I left, with your help?"

Glinda nodded pleasantly. "Indeed she has, Mr. Diggs. Welcome back! Your performance was wonderful!"

"I wonder if she _misses _this place?" Oscar wondered aloud. "I'd give all the green coins that used to go around the Emerald City to know what that brave young girl is thinking at this very moment."

The Scarecrow shrugged. "Probably…too busy…concentrating on her education." He mused, earning him wary looks from both Nick and Glinda. "Now that she's back in Kansas, she naturally has to go back to school, right?"

"Oh, yes, indeed." Oscar chuckled. "Although I've often wondered whether or not the land of Oz should have a consistent educational standard of its own? Last I heard, there was a group of munchkins contemplating that very possibility. Probably would have advanced that proposal were it not for a certain pair of witches."

Nick wanted very much to veer the conversation in another direction, and he was quick to interject the fresh subject. "So…you joined a circus after you left us?"

Oscar nodded. "That's how I met our 'Queen of Diamonds' over there. Betsy comes from Oklahoma. Orphan, too. Lost both her parents when they took a doomed sea voyage. She was among the few survivors. Told me her parents sacrificed their lives so she could live."

Nick gasped, horrified at this. "How terrible!"

"She always wanted to join a circus, though. Certainly a much better life path than languishing at that horrible orphanage they put her in." Oscar explained. "She stowed away on one of the circus wagons. That's how she met Hank, the mule in our act. There's a spark in that young girl, Glinda. She reminded me too much of Dorothy, in fact. I guess that's why we became such close friends."

"And the circus people trained her in all those acrobatics?" The Scarecrow asked.

Oscar nodded. "They took pity on her after we told them her story. Betsy had enough raw potential, so the Bailum &amp; Barney acrobats and trapeze artists began training her. She proved to be a fast learner, too."

"She does indeed have a lot of spirit." Glinda noted, glancing upon her as she spoke with Woot. "Her fairy chose well when she decided to mark her forehead."

Oscar nodded, remembering the conversation Glinda had with him during his reign. The explanation she had given to the old man when he was the reigning Wizard of Oz was not much different from the one she had given Dorothy following the defeat of Ugu and Mombi two years ago.

"You have a lot of catching up to do, if you choose to remain among us, Mr. Diggs." Glinda placed a hand upon the old man's shoulder. "I wonder…if I might provide you with accommodations at my palace in the Quadling Country for the time being?"

"Thank you, Glinda. I'd like that." Oscar confirmed. "Seeing as how the only thing that could take me out of Oz is another hot-air balloon, which I obviously do not have at my disposal for the moment. Unless, of course, you can tell me where I can find one?"

"You want to leave us _again_, Oscar?" Nick looked surprised.

"No, sir. I do not." Oscar firmly replied. "I missed these lands terribly. Far more colorful place compared to Omaha, after all. It wasn't long after I had touched down, following my departure from Oz, that I very much wanted to go back." He then lowered his head. "I was…particularly upset that I couldn't fulfill Dorothy's wish."

"We can talk about that once we're back at my palace, Mr. Diggs." Glinda assured, patting the old man's shoulder in consolation.

"Can accommodations be set aside for Betsy as well?" Oscar then asked.

"Of course! My handmaidens will see to not only your needs, but those of Betsy and Hank as well." Glinda replied, glancing to the Oklahoma girl. "I recognize the enchantment laid upon her hair and her skin. Cantrip magic. It should wear off in a few hours, thank goodness." Her eyes returned to Oscar. "Cantrip magic is the most basic of spell work, you know. Anyone with mystical potential can learn it."

"Oh, I doubt I could do any _real_ magic." Oscar remarked, sounding a bit crestfallen. "I'm just a con artist with a talent for sleight-of-hand. I guess you could say I make a lie look good."

"Yet, your lies draw smiles, Mr. Diggs." Glinda reminded, smiling warmly. "Did they not enjoy your performance?"

"I'd say their enjoyment is magic in and of itself, Oscar." The Scarecrow added.

"It's all in how one perceives it, Mr. Diggs." Nick noted.

Oscar was hesitant to ask the next question that came to mind, but it came forth from his lips anyway. "Do you think I have any mystical potential at all, Glinda?"

Glinda took one of the old man's hands into her own, squeezing them gently as she spoke. "That, Mr. Diggs, is what you and I are going to find out."

* * *

The evening eventually devolved into small groups of people…munchkin, animal, and human alike…engaging in conversations in and around the banquet area. Very few pieces of fresh food were left, and the cooks were already sealing the tin containers of untouched food in preparation for their return to the kitchens. All in all, it was a wonderful night. Dorothy and Boq had long since departed for Munchkinland, and the invited members of the Legion of Courage left sometime after the performance, largely because of yet _another _sparring challenge between Shade and Rouse. The Lion and the Hungry Tiger went with them, offering his thanks to Nick for a wonderful evening before he left.

Inevitably, it was Oscar's turn to entertain thoughts of leaving, and going with Glinda in her return to her palace and its posh accommodations. With Glinda in tow, he moved to where he saw Betsy and Woot in conversation with a half-empty glass of lacasa in his hand. The 'Queen of Diamonds' look remained upon her skin and her hair.

"Aren't you tired?" Oscar first asked. "We have accommodations at Glinda's palace. Have you ever wanted to float through the air in a bubble? It's an _incredible _view!"

"Can I stay here, Mist'r Diggs? Jus' tonight?" Betsy asked. "Woot an' I wanna have a lil' talk with Emp'ror Nick."

Oscar looked skeptical at this. "Ohh, I don't know, Betsy. As an Emperor, you should realize that he's a _very _busy man…"

"…but I told them I would speak to them after the banquet, Oscar." Nick interjected, stepping over to the two orphan children. "We'll take good care of them. We may not have very long to talk, but I gave them my word that I would once the banquet was over."

"Can y' take Hank with you, though?" She gestured to the nearby mule. "He looks awful tired."

Oscar nodded. "As you wish, Queen of Diamonds." He added a wink and a smile to this acknowledgement.

"We'll take good care of him, your eminence." Glinda noted, offering the glitter-skinned young girl a respectful curtsey, which Betsy returned in kind. The Good Witch of the South and the man behind the great and powerful Oz then walked away, arm in arm.

"I have a feeling Oscar's life is about to change." Nick candidly observed to Betsy. "Considerably."

Betsy tilted her head curiously. "How so?"

"Oh, you'll see, Betsy. You'll see." The tin-plated Emperor then began guiding the two orphans towards the banquet area's exit, speaking as they walked. "Now…the last I remember seeing Nimmie Amee, she served the Wicked Witch of the East as her maid. Ever since I became what I am today, though, we fell out of contact with each other. Since I earned my heart from the wizard, I'm…surprised that I haven't thought much about her. I figured if I had a heart again, my love for Nimmie would be stronger than ever. Once the witches were destroyed, I've devoted all my time to helping the winkies rebuild. I haven't regretted a single minute of that. I didn't even want to be their Emperor, but the winkies insisted."

"Where did the Wicked Witch of the East live?" Woot asked.

"From what I recall, she had a hut somewhere near the desert's edge." Nick replied.

"A _hut?_" Betsy sounded surprised. "From what Woot told me t'night, I thought she might've been livin' in some big ol' castle or somethin'! Wasn't she th' most pow'rful of th' two?"

"Well…I've never really been in that hut, but I imagine there was something magical about it." Nick reasoned. "It could have been bigger on the inside."

The trio stepped past the armored guards on night duty, holding their vigil upon the carpeted steps of the tin palace. The doors were opened for Nick and his two young friends, and they gradually continued their progress towards the central throne room area. "I've already made inquiries in and around Munchkinland." Nick explained. "The Mayor came back to me with news that she had never returned to her old home there."

"Maybe she's with the one who made your tin parts." Woot guessed as they neared Nick's throne seat.

"Ku-Klip? I doubt it." Nick settled into his seat as Betsy and Woot continued to stand before him. "They never had any dealings with each other."

"She could've been lookin' for you, though." Betsy noted. "Say…what would y' do if you found 'er?"

"I swore I would marry that lovely woman if the witches were ever destroyed, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." Nick replied, smiling. "She would rule at my side as the Empress of the winkies, clad in a beautiful gown of tin. It would certainly take some of the pressure of ruling this land in my absence off of ol' Gruf, don't you think?"

Both Woot and Betsy giggled at this.

Nick angled his head up as he envisioned the expectations thoughtfully, sighing contentedly. "She would be a vision in tin. I remember Nimmie telling me I looked very handsome as a tin man, but since I didn't have a heart, I reacted a bit…coldly. I…felt bad afterwards, but…well, I was bound to my belief at the time that I really needed that heart. If I knew then what I knew now, I…I wouldn't have been so…"

Nick never finished the statement, becoming lost in his thoughts, and perhaps his regrets at the same time. Both Betsy and Woot waited patiently, quietly concerned for whatever the tin-plated former munchkin was thinking.

Nick's eyes lingered upon the ceiling for that long moment, but they angled back down to Woot and Betsy. "You both need sleep. It's getting late."

At that very moment, Woot let out a long yawn. Betsy, however remained concerned as she rose to her feet. "But…what're y' gonna do 'bout…"

"I'll take you both to guest rooms in the palace. They'll be close enough to the throne room that I can go and wake you both up at first light within minutes." Nick explained. He then beckoned for them both to follow him as he and his guests began walking towards a hallway. "I'll have breakfast prepared for you before I wake you so you can get a meal in before we get in the tin carriage and head for Ku-Klip's shop." He then stopped for a moment and turned to the two orphans. "Assuming, of course, you both actually _want _to join me..?"

Betsy nodded emphatically, smiling wide. "You betcha!"

"Count me in." Woot firmly added.

* * *

Jellia Jamb stood by the throne as Ozma and the Scarecrow approached it. In the green and white-clad maid's hands was a large parchment. She smiled as the fairy princess approached.

"How was the banquet, your highness?" Jellia asked, following her curtsey.

"You really should have been there, Jellia." Ozma replied, smiling. "It was _wonderful_. Oscar Diggs and the orphan girl he had with him were spectacular. We actually had a funny little moment between the three of us before everyone started eating!"

Jellia nodded, smiling. "I'll make the next one. I promise."

"That's what you said to my _last _offer." Ozma countered. "I hope I don't have to make it a royal command."

"Ah, but I am _promising _this time." The maid then handed the parchment to Ozma. "The crops list for the farms. It's that time again."

Ozma nodded, knowing what this meant. As a fairy, and the ruler of the land, she was able to do what her father became capable of doing during his reign, but which the Wizard of Oz could not. She could manipulate weather patterns to the benefit of the farming communities of the land. If the natural flow of the weather could not provide a healthy dose of rainwater to the freshly-planted crops, it fell to Ozma to provide it through her fairy magic. Those farms on the list would receive a generous amount of rain, after which the clouds would clear in the latter half of the day, and the perpetually pleasant climate common to the land of Oz would be restored.

Logically, during the reign of the witches, their magic contrarily wreaked destructive havoc upon farms that they suspected belonged to rebellious farmers. Sometimes, the torrents of magically-generated chaos destroyed farms and scattered livestock. A popular, and occasionally repeated, rumor wrought the suspicion that one of the magically-generated forms of natural destruction was a powerful tornado, but the spell went bad, and it was generated upon a land other than Oz.

This rumor was never definitively proven.

But those long days and nights were over. With Ozma ruling the land, farmers listing themselves upon the monthly harvest list would be guaranteed the moisture their crops needed to grow in abundance.

Jellia's voice interrupted the silence. "Your highness…may I ask a question?"

Ozma's eyes remained upon the parchment. "Of course, Jellia."

"Well…not so much a question as a curiosity." Jellia added.

The fairy princess nodded. "You want to know why I continue to honor Mombi's requests for rain, don't you?"

Jellia sighed. "Yes, your majesty."

"Because…if I did not, that would be petty of me." Ozma explained. She then raised her head to look at the head maid. "I don't believe in that kind of revenge, Jellia. Last I observed using the Magic Picture, she's actually making attempts to establish a working farm. I might also remind you that she remains as powerless as she became when Glinda forced her to drink that potion."

"It's been two years, though." Jellia noted. "I _still _don't trust her."

"Yes, well…I haven't forgotten what Dorothy told me about the last threat she made to her." Ozma rose up from her throne room seat and began moving towards the stairs leading up to where her boudoir awaited. "'Watch what you eat, watch what you drink'. This is why I frequently look in on Mombi using the Magic Picture. More often than I should, too. At no point has she been engaging in the gathering of herbs, nor has she been stirring at cauldrons. She has been perpetually surly, but the important thing is that she is keeping to herself, and staying out of trouble."

"Maybe you should establish a rule regarding magic use." Jellia suggested as she and the princess ascended the staircase. "Only people we trust would be able to use it."

Ozma shook her head as she entered her boudoir. "I don't think we should go to such extremes. At least, not at the moment."

"But you will give it consideration?" Jellia asked.

Ozma sighed as she drew her wand, stopping in front of the magic picture. "No." She replied. "I do not want the people of Oz thinking that I am some kind of tyrant."

Jellia nodded, thinking on Ozma's reply, and then curtseyed low before the princess. "As you wish, your highness." She then stepped back outside the boudoir.

Ozma took a deep breath, and then stared upon the enchanted picture frame. It was time to address the first name on the list.

"Magic Picture," she began. "Show me the Gale Farm."

* * *

Having slept in the comfortable beds in their provided rooms for a good seven hours, both Betsy and Woot rose refreshed, fully dressed, and ready by the time the hard clank of the knuckle of Nick's hand bounced soundly against their doors. Betsy noticed that her glitter-based makeup was completely gone as well, her skin and hair restoring to their normal human appearance as she slept.

Winkie attendants guided the two orphans to the freshly-prepared meals, and Gruf informed them both…as they ate…that the tin carriage was being prepared for their departure. Nick awaited their arrival as he sat at the driver's seat of the carriage vehicle.

They stepped into the carriage's passenger area and secured places for themselves as the exquisitely-designed construct began to move. Picking up a bit of speed, the glistening tin vehicle rolled beyond the bridge path and began its northbound journey just as the skies began to brighten.

Nick, however, noticed that there were gray clouds in the skies. Clouds thick enough to generate rainfall. His expression became visibly worrisome as the carriage moved along the roads.

Pulling another lever near the steering wheel caused gears to click and whirr, and a protective canopy to extend over the heads of Nick's startled orphan passengers. The tin emperor smiled as he heard Woot exclaim his amazement.

In his rekindled determination to find out what had happened to Nimmie Amee, he had forgotten that today was the day when Ozma would send torrents of magically-generated rain unto the farms which needed them. They would roll in on a path which would not only douse the fields that needed it, but also the areas around them as well. The major downside to these magically-generated, thunder and lightning-free torrents, however, was that any constructs made of tin…such as Nick, and his tin carriage…would begin to debilitatingly rust if such constructs were exposed to the rain for too long.

His first instinct was to turn the vehicle around and let it wait another day…

…but he had made, and acted on, that excuse so many times before. This time, Nick resolved to himself, the quest was on, and he was going to see it through to its conclusion with the help of Betsy and Woot.

Nick hoped the carriage would make it to Ku-Klip's shop before he heard a single drop of water hit the driver-area canopy.

He heard three.

Six more impacts from water drops followed.

In the next moment, the carriage was drenched in a thick downpour of water, and the shop was still one mile away. Nick increased the vehicle's speed. This torrent would not let up for some time, and he hoped Ku-Klip had a spare cannister of oil, seeing as how his own can was currently empty from frequent use.

Once Betsy confirmed that the place they had stopped in front of was the tinsmith's shop, she told Nick to remain where he sat while she made sure someone was there.

Betsy then raced out to the shop's door and began rapping on it as hard as she could.

Fortunately, a gray-haired but well-built man wearing a yellow shirt and brown leather suspenders and pants answered, although his expression was initially a less-than-pleased one. "_Who _is knocking out that rack…" He finally spotted a soaked Betsy standing there. "…oh! Caught out in the rains, eh? Come on inside then."

"I'm not alone!" Betsy called out through the loud torrent. "I…have a friend o' yours with me." She then gestured to the tin carriage.

Ku-Klip needed to squint to be able to see through the torrent of water, but he did spot a very familiar face within the canopy of the driver area. The funnel he had on his head was unmistakable.

At the same time, the tinsmith was a bit surprised when he looked back at Betsy. "You have the _Emperor _with you? I think I know what this is about. Have him park that thing in the canopy space on the other side of the shop as quickly as possible!"

Betsy nodded and ran back over to repeat the instructions to Nick, who moved the vehicle…which was now creaking its gears and joints a little louder now…where Ku-Klip had indicated. The canopy space was no different in appearance to a modern garage, and Nick was able to fit the long carriage into it completely. Ku-Klip emerged from a door within the canopy to greet the carriage's occupants, a long towel draped over his arm. "You picked a hell of a day to come visit, my Emperor!" The tinsmith remarked as he shaked Nick's tin-plated hand.

"I can't put it off any longer, Ku-Klip!" Nick replied over the sound of the torrents outside. "Besides…I need oilcans anyway!"

The old tinsmith nodded. "Let's get you all inside." He looked at the shivering Oklahoma girl in the soaked clothes. "I should have a dress in your size!"

Betsy looked puzzled at this. "You have a daught'r?"

Ku-Klip shook his head, smiling as he led Betsy into the main shop area. "I had a visit from one of my cousins last week. She had a daughter just as young and as tall as you with her. I still have some of the clothes she forgot to take with her. Just had it washed, too."

Leading his guests through the interior of the shop, which was filled with all manner of tinsmithing tools and tin plates and raw materials, both Betsy and Woot couldn't help but notice a very unpleasant scent coming from a particular area of the shop which was curtained off.

At the top of this curtain was a sign that spelled out an odd word. "CHOP/FYT".

Ku-Klip, however, grabbed the shoulders of both orphans, stopping them both from advancing on the space beyond the curtain. "You don't want to go in there. Ugly, stinky stuff. Not the kind of thing for eyes as young as yours. Come on…my home is upstairs. Follow me."

Once Betsy and Woot stepped into the living space that comprised the second level of the shop, they entered a much nicer-smelling living room. Nick was already at the kitchen area preparing a pot of tea, and Ku-Klip gestured for Woot to sit in a comfortable-looking couch while the tinsmith guided Betsy over to a private space where she could change into the yellow outfit he provided for her.

As Betsy changed out of her wet dress, Ku-Klip headed down to his shop area, returning a few minutes later with a pair of freshly-filled oilcans. By the time he returned, Nick was pouring warm tea into three tin-wrought teacups he had placed on ceramic saucers.

Ku-Klip held up one oilcan. "This is for the compartment you had me create for you." He then opened the compartment at his chest, pulling an empty oilcan from it and replacing it with a full one. He then picked up the other oilcan as the tea cooled and began working on Nick's joints, patting away their wetness with a towel and then oiling them. As Ku-Klip worked, Betsy finally emerged from the private space the tinsmith had provided her with.

The comfortable dress she now wore certainly fit her fine, but she had a somewhat awkward expression on her face as she looked to her friends.

To say that the provided dress was quite girlish in appearance was a definite understatement. It had puffed sleeves at the shoulders and a petticoat-style skirt area. Brown straps crisscrossed at her torso to form a kind of loose bodice, and a large brown bow was behind her at waist level. Covering her legs were a pair of yellow stockings which led down to a pair of brown shoes which were turned upwards at the toe areas.

Ku-Klip nodded slowly in his appraisal. "I have a bonnet to go with that, if you like."

Betsy smirked. "I'll pass on that."

She then took the teacup Nick handed her. The tin emperor similarly provided full teacups to Ku-Klip and Woot. The tinsmith settled in near Woot, while Betsy took a seat near Nick, still blushing in inescapable embarrassment over what she was wearing.

"Don't worry, Betsy." Nick couldn't help but notice the Oklahoma girl's reaction. "I think you look just fine!"

"Thanks. I…guess I'm not used t' wearin' dresses like this." Betsy noted.

"Lots of winkies wear that kind of dress." Ku-Klip reminded. "You'd fit in just fine."

Woot wanted to get down to business, however. "So is there anything you can tell us about Nimmie Amee? I mean…where she is these days?"

"I had meant to ask you about her myself, Ku-Klip…but it always slipped my mind." Nick admitted, looking a little embarrassed.

"Well…now that you _are _asking me, my Emperor, I can tell you that she _did _come by sometime after the deaths of the witches two years ago." Eyes lit up in surprise as Ku-Klip spoke this revelation. "She had asked about you, too, but…"

"But my mind was on helping the winkies with the recovery effort." Nick interjected. "My new heart just felt so strongly about these people. They had suffered and lost _so much_. I just couldn't think of anything else. Not even Nimmie."

"She stayed with me for a little bit of time, hoping you would return here. She offered to help around the shop while she waited, too. Absolutely one of the kindest and the most beautiful munchkins I've ever met." The winkie tinsmith continued. "At the end of the week, however, she decided to move on. She didn't say _where_ she had gone, though…but there's one person who might know, if you can find him."

Betsy tilted her head after bringing her tea away from her lips. "D' you know his name?"

"Sure do. I'm the reason he looks the way he does today." Ku-Klip replied. "He was a soldier. A Captain in the Munchkinland armies. Really good swordsman, too. His name is Fyter."

"What happened to him?" Woot asked.

"He led a rebellion against the Wicked Witch of the East." The old tinsmith explained. "One of their allies turned out to be a spy for the witch, although he was blackmailed into doing so. That nasty old crone was told that Fyter had wanted to have a suit of metal armor made for him, so she transmuted the Captain's skin into solid tin with her magic. Froze up his joints, his face, everything. He was practically a statue. Couldn't move an inch. It happened just as he was about to give an order, too. Morale dropped considerably when they saw what had happened to him."

"And they brought him to you? Afterwards?" Nick asked.

"His body came to me eventually, yes." Ku-Klip confirmed, sipping his tea. "There was nothing I could do about the man beneath the skin, but after what I did with you, I figured I could do the same with Fyter. The only problem was that I…well, I had to remove everything beneath the skin. I added a bit more tin plating and did a bit of decorative work using the same tools I used on all those jobs I did for you. I re-jointed him, re-jawed him, cleaned him up and cleaned him out…the result was my very first tin soldier. Took him a while to get used to being taller, but…I have a feeling that new life is gonna grow on him."

"Do you think he might be somewhere in Munchkinland?" Woot surmised aloud as he finished his tea.

"Seems like the logical place to start looking." The tinsmith replied. He then looked out the window, and found that the rains were beginning to weaken in its intensity. "Shouldn't you wait until the rain passes, though? I wouldn't want to find that you've rusted solid again, my Emperor."

Nick shook his head. "I have put this off long enough. I can't let this day pass without finding her, even if I have to walk through all that rain on foot."

Ku-Klip looked a bit worried about this, but he nodded nevertheless, heading for the door to his shop area. "I'll go down and get the tin carriage rolling, then. I'll see how close I can get it to the canopy so you won't get drenched going back in."

Betsy finished her tea and then followed the tin emperor alongside Woot as they descended the staircase and walked through the shop. A part of Woot was curious to take a peek behind the curtained area, but the smell was particularly unpleasant and he didn't want to breathe in any more of it if whatever was behind the curtain was the source of the ugly odor.

A soaked Ku-Klip opened a locked door in the shop that led outside. "Good thing Johnny Dooit and I used more than just tin to build the carriage, so the gears should last."

Betsy overheard this, and her eyes went wide. "You know Johnny Dooit?"

Ku-Klip nodded, smiling. "It was my idea to build the carriage, after all. Johnny owed me a favor, and the emperor doesn't like horse-drawn carriages." He turned his head to Nick. "As you can see, the rain torrents are weakening, but that may not last. You might want to get back underway as quickly as possible."

Nick nodded. "Thanks for everything, old friend."

The tin emperor shook the old winkie's wet hand. "Give my regards to whomever you find first."

"We'll find them _both _if we can!" Nick remarked. He then looked to the orphans as the old tinsmith walked past them and headed for the stairs. "Okay…you ready to make a run for it?"

Betsy raised an extended thumb. "You betcha!"

Nick bent his legs, placing a hand behind each of the orphans. "One…two…_three!_"

Giving his young friends a light shove, they quickly headed out into the rain and raced right into the passenger area. Nick also moved quickly, settling his tin frame back in front of the driver controls. Closing the door, he pulled the levers that got the steam engine hissing, and the carriage rolled back out into the gradual rainfall in the next moment. Within moments, they had left the tinsmith's shop far behind them.

The heavy torrents, however, made the roads difficult to make out given the now muddy terrain. The steering wheel was also becoming a little difficult to move. He had thought about stopping and using his oilcan to oil the tin-wrought steering area…

…but the torrents began to pick up again. Visibility worsened as he continued his progress. With the thickness of the downpours, he began to worry that he was going off-course. He particularly hoped that the carriage would not accidentally roll through farmlands with the planted crops that needed this rainfall.

The steering wheel began to squeak loudly now as he turned it to and fro, and Nick had to veer sharply to the left to avoid hitting a building. Woot and Betsy gasped at the sudden screeching of the wheels below, but settled themselves in the next moment.

Looking around the area, Nick saw other buildings, and came to the logical assumption that they were now driving through a town.

Woot seemed particularly curious about the area, and squinted in an attempt to figure out where they were.

And then, he saw a round shape bouncing around, alongside other similar shapes. At that point, the gillikin boy knew exactly where they were.

Betsy looked over the boy's shoulder, also spotting the bouncing figures. "What's that?"

Woot looked to Betsy with a somewhat troubled expression. "Loons."

Loud thuds suddenly impacted the canopy, and the tin carriage began to screech and rock from side to side, the two orphans suddenly tumbling about as Nick lost control, his attention suddenly distracted by the sudden appearance of larger bouncing shapes...other loons...similar to those Betsy and Woot had spotted. They had suddenly bounced upon the area right in front of Nick's line of sight, startling him and throwing off his concentration.

Suddenly, the carriage rumbled down an inclined road, bouncing uncontrollably as its three occupants struggled to stay inside the vehicle. Picking up speed as it continued its downward rush, the carriage suddenly slammed against a hard surface, sending Nick Chopper flying out the front window!

Betsy and Woot's heads rammed into the reinforced tin plates behind the cushions of the passenger seats as they lurched forward with the impact. Their bodies dropped to the tin-plated surface of the passenger area, and laid motionlessly.

Just behind where the tin carriage had crashed, round gray shapes began bouncing towards it. They bounced like rubber balls, having only a pair of large purple spots on their featureless and bare rubber bodies, stopping just before the crash site.

One of them rolled curiously towards the smoking vehicle, its purple spots surveying the area.

Looking into the passenger area, the creature saw two young human bodies lying still.

The creature…the 'loon'…worried if these two were dead.


	5. V: Torrents of Change

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**The song Dorothy sings here is sung to the tune of "Optimistic Voices"..._aka_ the choral piece that is heard as Dorothy and her friends emerge from the Poppy Fields and head for the Emerald City...from _The Wizard of Oz_.**

**The lyrics, however, have obviously been changed to reflect Dorothy's sentiments! ;)**

* * *

**V: Torrents of Change**

Dorothy Gale stared out of the front window of her munchkin home, Toto eating his breakfast just behind her, as the steady rainfall continued outside. Her short, round body wore a soft blue bathrobe as her hair hung down unstyled save for the spiral curls that were her sideburns, and the two curled bangs above her eyebrows. In her hands was a full bowl of a delicious Munchkinland breakfast dish that was called 'Blue Harvest Porridge'. Scooping a spoonful into her mouth, she crunched upon the soggy, milk-soaked oats as she watched munchkin children playing in the morning rain.

Tomorrow's early eve, Professor Wogglebug had said. Although she had verbally accepted Boq's offer, it was one opportunity to justify an escape from it. Dorothy wondered, after all, just how much material her munchkin mind had retained from the Magic Glasses that had assisted her in her active tutoring of Tula for two long years. After all, she thought, if the Professor was as smart and as difficult a teacher as she thought he was, she could blow this impromptu exam, and therefore have all the justification in the world to turn Boq's admittedly extravagant offer down.

She wondered to herself, however, just how much of this impending test she could actually, capably answer correctly _without_ the use of those glasses.

It also occurred to Dorothy that she could purposely get one of the questions wrong. Deliberately give up the life that Boq, the wealthiest munchkin in the entire community, had offered her.

And then, she would no longer be a cute little munchkin anymore.

Dorothy then reminisced on her harboring similar thoughts in the time she had spent as a stuffed patchwork girl. Perhaps it was the fascination of actually becoming something other than what she was born to be that was compelling her to willingly place the prospect of being restored in peril. As the patchwork girl, the rationale was being with the Scarecrow, who she had missed most of all when the ruby slippers took her back home to Kansas, as a similarly stuffed humanoid. That life certainly had its fair share of perks, and they were able to help her capably end the takeover of the Emerald City.

And now, she was back in a form that Locasta…herself wearing the shape of a helpful old munchkin woman...had imposed upon the Kansas girl two years ago in an effort to keep her true identity concealed long enough for her to reach the Scarecrow in the city's Royal Palace.

Even in the short time she spent in that form, it grew on her, and not just because she nearly lost herself to it. With no such danger in wearing the form that Ozma had given her, she was free to assess munchkin life as a perk of having to tutor Tula.

After two years of a relatively peaceful life spent among these endearing people, there was no denying the conclusion she had reached, and it quite frankly scared her.

As she had done so many times before in her idle moments in the house, Dorothy stepped over to the full-length mirror and stared upon her own robed presence, running her hands over the roundness of her belly. Her eyes then stared upon those that stared back at her in the mirror.

Her eyebrows raised, and her head tilted to the side. A cute smile then formed on her lips.

She fluttered her eyes endearingly as her gaze lingered on her own image.

She then imagined herself among the many munchkins hiding in the bushes that rose up to look upon a strange human girl with a basket under her arm, and a little black dog at her side. That adorably small mass of grateful and colorful townsfolk who happily embraced their new savior from another land.

Perhaps, sometime in the future, she thought to herself, another visitor from the outside world could find their way to Munchkinland, and Dorothy could be among the many munchkins to greet her. Or even a him. It didn't matter to her. In the two years she spent among them, she had been a part of the general gaiety of these people many times enough to know just how they all lived, and she had been quite capable of fitting in by virtue not only of her own initiatives, but through the guidance of the many friends she had made here. For every gathering, every event, every parade, every Learning Guild meeting, every festival, she found herself loving it all a little bit more.

She couldn't deny it any further. She loved Munchkinland. She loved being among the munchkins.

And most of all, she loved _being _a munchkin.

Dorothy suddenly raced over to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her as Toto curiously watched her rush past him. He padded over to the door curiously and sat in place, waiting for his owner to re-emerge.

Within the room, off came the robe.

On came a festive and colorful white and blue munchkin dress with a full blue and white skirt, billowy white sleeves, and a lovely blue bodice. Her pudgy feet slipped into a pair of festive-looking munchkin boots, and she began fixing her hair in one of the unique, curl-based munchkin styles. A full application of makeup followed.

Spinning in place, and giggling cutely, Dorothy hurried back over to the door of her room and burst right out of it, flourishing her arms and whirling around as she began to express her giddiness lyrically.

_We're out of the woods, We're out of the dark, We're out of the niiiiight!  
Now I've become such a hap-py siiiight!  
__I'm fitting right in at the most glorious place  
On the face of the earth or the skyyyy…MUNCH-kin-land!  
__Hold onto your breath, Hold onto your heart, Hold onto your hoooope!  
Reach down for your dog and pick him right UP!_

The giddy munchkin hoisted Toto aloft, and began to dance around with him. She then gave him a loving hug as the cairn terrier began rapidly licking her pudgy face.

Smiling happily, Dorothy looked into the dog's eyes, sighing. "You don't mind me being like this, do you? Hmm? I'm not much different from the girl I was, am I?" She rubbed affectionately at the back of his neck. "Besides…you get to be a little _bigger _in my arms!"

She then rubbed her knobby munchkin nose, affectionately, against Toto's own moist black canine nose, giggling sweetly. Gently placing Toto back on the ground, Dorothy beamed as she practically bounced back over to the front window of her home. The rain was still coming down outside, but not as heavily as it was before she started getting dressed for the day.

"No matter _what _I was, you all took me in and showed me your love and your affection since the day I first came to Oz." She affectionately remarked. "For that, you won't be rid of ol' Miss Dorothy anytime soon! I'll be as kind and as sweet as Auntie Lo _ever _was!"

_We're out of the woods, We're out of the dark, We're out of the niiiiight!  
This munch-kin life just feels so riiiight!  
__Hold onto your breath, Hold onto your heart, Hold onto your hoooope!  
March up to the door and bid it O-PENNNN…O-PENNNN…!_

She gestured with her pudgy hands to the closed door of her home as if casting a spell. As if willing it to open…

…and open it did! Dorothy gasped aloud…

…and saw the Scarecrow standing there with a puzzled expression, after he had pushed open the door. "How in the _world _did you know I was coming?"

Dorothy's cheeks blushed a bright red. "Umm…" She then shrugged, smiling cutely. "…wild guess?"

The Scarecrow stepped in, smiling. Since becoming the royal advisor to the princess Ozma, the fairy girl provided him with a perk for occasions in which he needed to make on-foot trips through rainfall: an emerald that had been enchanted to provide its bearer with an invisible, rain-proof barrier. While he had this emerald on his person(in this case, buried securely in the thick stuffing of his chest), he could not get wet. Dorothy also noticed that he had a bundle on his back, wrapped across his body. Once he was inside, he pulled the bundle off of him.

"So!" Dorothy chimed. "How can I help the smartest, and the most handsome Scarecrow in the land, hmm?"

"I heard you've got something important to do later today." The straw-stuffed advisor pulled a bundle of black fabric, which the munchkin tutor surmised to be a robe, and a stiff square shape with a tassle attached. "We've got to get you prepared for it!"

Dorothy crossed her arms, looking a bit troubled. "Not that I don't appreciate your visits, but I always feel bad that I can't prepare food and drinks for you with you being a scarecrow and all. I mean…it's only fair that I make my guests feel at home, right?"

"Just like _any _munchkin would." The Scarecrow replied. He then pulled off his hat and threw the black robe over him, tugging around until he was able to fit his head through an opening.

When Dorothy saw the design of this particular robe, and then watched him place the flat square shape with the tassle on his head, she realized what the outfit signified. It was a graduation cap and gown!

The Scarecrow affected a scholarly pose. "Well? Do I look…_erudite?_"

Dorothy giggled. "It's definitely you."

His expression then went serious. "Don't be _too _giddy, now. It's my determination to test you _very _thoroughly. Right up until it's time for your examination."

"Hmph!" She turned away, her arms still folded in front of her, holding her head high in a somewhat snooty fashion. "Why should I be tested by someone who thinks a right triangle is an isoceles triangle?"

The Scarecrow rolled his painted eyes. "You're still not gonna let that go, are you?"

"Well, I'm a _tutor _now." Dorothy proudly reminded. "Proper, factual education is very important to me."

The Scarecrow looked a bit crestfallen now. "Well…if you're so sure you don't need any help…"

Dorothy burst forward to stop her stuffed friend, a disarming smile on her face now. "Oh, don't be silly, Scarecrow. I'm only kidding around. Of _course _I want your help!"

"Let's pull up a seat for you, then." He gestured to a comfy seat, which Dorothy pulled out and settled herself into. "I don't have to remind you that you can't use those magic glasses."

"Nope." Dorothy confirmed, getting comfortable in the seat. "Any answers you get are coming straight from the ol' beanie." She gestured to her head, smiling.

From the cloth bundle the robe and the cap were wrapped in, the Scarecrow pulled one other necessary aspect of his scholarly status: the very same diploma the Wizard of Oz had given him.

The stuffed advisor stood next to where Dorothy sat, and stared forward as he made his first inquiry. "Tell me…what a _biome _is."

"Oh! That's a community with a large biological concentration. Like a forest, or a desert in the outside world." Dorothy answered, after a moment of thought. "The Forest of Gugu, in the Gillikin Country, would be considered a biome."

The Scarecrow nodded. "Good, very good." He pondered silently for a moment, and then voiced his next challenge. "Now…what would you need to give me if I wanted…an _algorithm?_"

"I would give you a rules system outlining a pre-defined set of operations." Dorothy replied. "The word comes from the title of a book called _Algoritmi de numero Indorum_, which was translated from a text written by a mathematician."

The stuffed advisor smiled. "Outstanding! Watch out, though…I'm just getting warmed up here!"

"Bring it on!" Dorothy challenged.

A few other questions followed, ranging from what Dorothy considered quite easy to what proved more difficult than she had thought. The munchkin, however, had a mind magically reinforced by the vast knowledge contained in those magic glasses Locasta had given her. Any knowledge summoned unto the inner lens were absorbed by the brain of the wearer, and given the thorough nature of Dorothy's tutoring in various subjects in the time she had spent with Tula for the past two years, it could be said that the munchkin tutor...and, by extension, the Kansas girl she had once been...was now just as erudite as the Scarecrow.

One question, however, seemed odd to the educated munchkin, and he arched a painted eyebrow as he spoke it. "Where does the philosophical phrase 'to thine ownself be true' come from?"

Dorothy thought on this, and the answer…unlike the others…came slowly. "That was written by…William Shakespeare. The Bard of Avon. It was a line spoken by Polonius in _Hamlet_. Act one, scene three."

The Scarecrow nodded. He then stepped in front of the munchkin, slipping the diploma in a pocket of the black graduation gown and then placing his hands on Dorothy's shoulders. He looked into the munchkin's eyes as he spoke. "Do you know what that phrase _means_, Dorothy?"

The former Kansas human shrugged. "It was just…part of the rambling Laertes expected from his father. Laertes was about to board a boat bound for Paris."

"'This above all, to thine ownself be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.'" The Scarecrow recited, stepping behind his munchkin friend. "Can you tell me what that means?"

Dorothy couldn't help but deduce that this was more than just a challenge of her amassed knowledge. "You're trying to tell me something, aren't you?"

The Scarecrow shook his stuffed head. "I'm asking you to tell me what it means."

"Being loyal to your own best interests." Dorothy finally replied, after a brief moment of thought. "Having faith in your convictions."

The Scarecrow nodded again. It also became apparent that Dorothy would not be fooled by his sneaky tactic. "And you should know I'll always have faith in your convictions, Dorothy. If you're convinced of them, of course." The Scarecrow assured. "Are you _sure _this is the way you want to live out the rest of your life? I've heard rumors that you're going to become a lasting educational authority in Munchkinland."

Dorothy sighed thoughtfully. "Well…I was actually thinking that what happens later would define what would happen next with me. If I fail, I'll just put it all behind me and go back to being who I was. Once Tula's been tested, that is."

"And if you don't?" The Scarecrow then asked. "You should know that you haven't gotten a single question I've asked you wrong thus far."

"Oh, Scarecrow, _please_." Dorothy sounded a touch irritated as she spoke. "What's so _wrong _with being a munchkin?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all." The Scarecrow replied. "I owe my very existence to the munchkins, after all. I sympathize, too. They're a very hard-working people, they're light sleepers when they need to be, and they lead a very charming and colorful life. Come on, Dorothy…let's take a break for a moment." He lightly tugged at Dorothy's hand, and the munchkin girl slipped off the seat, following her stuffed friend. "I can tell you for sure that _I_ wouldn't be bothered if you wanted to stay this way. I don't think Emperor Nick…who was once a munchkin himself…or even the Lion would protest too much." He led Dorothy back to the full-length mirror and stood behind her as she stopped in front of it once again. "But tell me, Dorothy Gale. What was it about being something other than what you were born to be that compelled you to draw these conclusions?"

Dorothy angled her head back to the Scarecrow. "Why would you ask me this?"

"Well…your _dress, _actually." The straw-stuffed advisor answered. "Remember? Last year? This dress was the christmas gift from that 'secret admirer' of yours. You couldn't make up your mind whether you liked it or not when you saw it at last year's autumn-season crafts festival. You were staring at it for a pretty long moment, too. When you got it for christmas, I remember being there when you tried it on."

Dorothy nodded, blushing in her remembrance. "I remember now. I…I was worried that…I might like it too much if I wore it again."

"You took it off, and you told me you'd never put it back on." The Scarecrow recollected. "And now, here it is. Back on your body."

Dorothy shrugged, smiling. "It grew on me. Besides…" She indicated her hairstyle. "…it goes well with this, don't you think?"

But the Scarecrow gestured to the mirror. "So you really want this to be you? From now on?"

Dorothy turned back to the mirror, looking herself over. A smile once again formed on her lips as she thoughtfully spoke. "Yes. I do."

"What do you think your friend would say?" The Scarecrow then asked. "You know…the one in Locasta's mirror? That I couldn't see?"

"Scarecrow…if anyone, even Hunk Griffiths, thought any differently of me over what I honestly feel is a harmless decision, don't you think that would be wrong of _them?_" Dorothy reasoned. "It's my body. My life…and in answer to your question, it's because I _can _do such a thing in Oz compared to Kansas. There's no _magic_ out there. Kansas, Oklahoma, San Francisco...no _life_ other than my Aunt, my Uncle, and whatever friends I had at the farm and at school. I guess…I want to _challenge _myself. See how far I can go. Maybe someday, I _will _grow tired of being a munchkin. Maybe it will be tomorrow, maybe thirty or forty years down the line. But _I _want to be the one to make that choice. It's not like there's anyone in Oz who would want to keep me this way against my will, right? Two years ago, I made a _choice_ to honor my vow to the Learning Guild."

The Scarecrow nodded. "This is true. You could very well have said no."

Dorothy nodded back. "Do you understand, now, why I feel so comfortable with this?"

The straw-stuffed advisor smiled. "I'm particularly relieved that you put a lot of thought into this decision." He placed a hand on Dorothy's shoulder. "It looks like you really are being loyal to your own best interests, although I will advise that your own best interests may not be the _right _ones at times."

"But that's for _me_ to decide." Dorothy countered. "I want to be left to that. Scarecrow…" She grasped the stuffed advisor's arm with both hands. "…can you trust me to do that?"

After what looked like a moment's thought, the Scarecrow pressed his painted lips to the munchkin's forehead, and then pulled away with a solemn expression. "Always, Dorothy Gale. _Always._"

Dorothy smiled wide as she looked up at him. "Well…now that I have this wonderful dress back on me? Be honest." She then twirled in place. "How do I look?"

Her friend affected a thinking pose, and then looked back down to the little munchkin after a moment. "My opinion is the same way now as it was back then." A smile then formed on his burlap face. "You look _adorable._"

"Doesn't it remind you of my gingham dress? The one I first met you in?" Dorothy giddily chimed, overjoyed at the compliment. "I am _definitely _using this dress more often!"

"That should make your secret admirer happy." The Scarecrow noted. "Have you wondered who that might be?"

"I…have my suspicions…" Dorothy wondered aloud, turning away for a moment in her deep thought, but she then turned back to the Scarecrow with a more serious face in her desire to change the subject. "…but break time is over. You need to test me some more, and we're running out of time!"

The Scarecrow nodded. "We'll need a blackboard for this second round. I don't suppose you have one here? Anywhere?"

Dorothy nodded. "The space downstairs in the passage. My private study room." She then took his arm and gave it a tug. "Follow me."

* * *

It was to the relief of the gathered and curious loons that they saw the two young figures in the passenger area of the damaged tin carriage begin to move around. Their movements were slow and weary, but they were at least alive.

A couple of the loons bounced in place when they saw this movement, perhaps signifying their relief.

They winced at the pain in their heads, and they shook their heads as they got to their feet. Woot was the first to spot the purple marks on the round rubber bodies of the loons, which the young gillikin knew to be their eyes.

Betsy looked around for Nick, and saw that the front part of the tin carriage had crunched like an accordion upon a thick tree…one of many in a forest that was near the town. They also saw that the rains were still coming down quite heavily outside the somewhat intact passenger area of the wrecked carriage. After another moment of recuperation, the two young orphans managed to get the somewhat intact door to the passenger area open and they squeezed their way out of it, still holding their bruised heads as the rain began to drench them both.

When the loons rolled over to them, Betsy was the first to speak. "Did y' see a tin man?" She called out over the loud rainfall.

The large rubber balls turned to each other, looking upon each other's purple eyes. They then rolled into the forest, the two orphans curiously following behind them.

The loons stopped behind another group of loons who were looking upon another sight they mutually deemed unusual. This particular group was staring at a familiar-looking humanoid who was made entirely of tin. One leg, however, had broken off and his right arm was bent out of shape.

His torso was also impaled on a broken tree branch. It didn't lance through the area where the heart compartment was, but he was still held fast.

Nick still moved, however, and his eyes eventually fell on the approaching orphans. A look of relief was now on his drenched tin face. "Ohh…thank _goodness _you're both still alive." The tin emperor began. "Looks like I zigged when I should have zagged. The carriage must be a wreck now."

"Never mind the carriage." Woot remarked. "What about _you?_"

Nick looked down at his remnants with a grave expression, and then looked to his young orphan friends. "I'm afraid I won't be of much use to you at the moment. Leave me here. As you can see, my leg is broken, and…well, when the rain stops, that won't matter anymore, because I won't be able to go _anywhere._ At least, until my joints are re-oiled."

Betsy stepped in close to where Nick was lying, and looked around for where she believed the compartment in the tin emperor's chest was. Realizing what Betsy was looking for, Nick opened the compartment for her, and she took the oilcan.

"We're gonna find someplace t' go 'till this rain stops." Betsy explained. "Then we're comin' back for you."

Nick nodded. "Ask the loons. Maybe…maybe they'll let you stay with them. Don't worry about me…I'm sure the Rainbow Dragoons will come by and collect me, if I'm not still here tomorrow morning."

Betsy nodded, and then stepped back over to Woot. "We need t' find someplace t' go for th' night. Do y' think th' loons'll let us stay with 'em?"

Woot shrugged…but knowing a little more about the loons compared to Betsy, he doubted this. "I guess we can ask."

He stepped over to one of the loons, who the other loons gathered behind curiously. "Can you take us someplace we can stay for the night?" He called out over the rain.

Two of the loons looked to each other, while some of them rolled away. The two loons, however, rolled up in front of the soaked orphans. Judging by the idling that followed, Woot surmised that they were waiting for something.

When Betsy curiously placed a hand upon the rubber surface, it suddenly sunk into the loon's body, and was stuck there. "Hey!" She tried to release it, but the loon rolled up and she felt her body partially sink into the loon's body.

Her face contacted the rubber as well, but it did _not _stick!

Having an idea of what was going on, Woot placed a hand upon the loon that rolled near him, and it stuck. He did likewise with his other hand, and when the loon rolled up, everything below the knees of his bent legs were submerged in the loon's rubber skin, and it looked like he was on his hands and knees when his loon rolled up. Betsy was able to arrange herself similarly before the loons began bouncing. At first, up and down, and then forward with long and wide bouncing arcs.

The heavy rains did not seem to bother the loons, but Betsy and Woot found it difficult to see through the rainfall. All they could do was shake their heads to keep the rainwater from going in their eyes, as their hands were held fast.

They bounced for a good hour and a half, the rains beginning to weaken as the loons made their long bouncing strides. Woot was particularly curious as to where these loons were taking them. Apparently, the gillikin boy's suspicions were dead-on. The loons would never have let them stay in Loonville, which was where they exclusively lived.

Since, after all, Betsy and Woot were not loons themselves.

Eventually, their arcs grew shorter and shorter, and they eventually came to a halt. The grasp the two loons had on the limbs of their orphan passengers were relaxed, and they were able to free themselves.

The loons brought their purple eyes before the gillikin boy as he stepped up to them.

"Thank you for this." Woot calmly remarked. "I'm really sorry for what happened to you all."

The purple eyes of the loons continued to linger on Woot in the next moment, and then the large round gray balls spun around, and began bouncing away, no doubt returning home.

Betsy watched the loons go as Woot stepped over to look at the considerably large castle they had been brought to. The rains were steadying, so visibility was better as the soaked gillikin boy stepped over to read words that hung idle over the castle's large doors.

"What did y' mean when y' said you were sorry?" Betsy asked, turning her head to Woot curiously.

"Hold on." He stepped closer to the sign. "I want to know where they took us."

Betsy also became curious as the two orphans stepped closer to the large pair of doors. Eventually, they were able to make out the letters of the sign, and therefore have an idea as to who lived in this large and unusual-looking abode.

_YOOP __CASTLE_.

"What's a Yoop?" Betsy asked.

After a moment of thought, Woot nodded in his recollection. "That's the name of a man-eating giant that was running around our country when the East and West witches were around." Woot explained. "If this was his home, it's probably empty."

"Why?"

"Because Glinda…who at the time was the Good Witch of the North…helped us capture him." Woot replied. "If I remember it right, they took him to some prison under a mountain in the Quadling Country."

"I see a latch on that door." Betsy observed, after wiping her face free of rainwater and then getting a closer look at the door as Woot spoke. "D' you think you can reach it if I held you up?"

Woot shrugged, smiling. "Worth a try."

Steadying himself on Betsy's shoulders, Woot reached up…but it was just out of his reach. If he had something long enough to reach the latch and push it up…

"Do you see a long tree branch around here?" Woot asked as he came down from Betsy's shoulders.

Betsy shrugged cluelessly. "Let's see if we can find one."

After a bit of searching, Betsy was able to find a fallen branch with a pair of smaller branch growths forming a 'v' shape. Presenting it to Woot, he surmised that it could unlatch the door quite easily.

And unlatch it did, when they returned to the large, broad doors. With a push from both of the orphans, one of the doors squeaked open. The space was just wide enough for both Betsy and Woot to squeeze through.

Torches blazing on sconces surrounding the entrance chamber illuminated the huge interior, which looked quite lovely, but also very large. Woot had mentioned that the castle was the home of a giant, so it seemed only natural that everything around them would be so huge. Staircases were like large ledges, and the visibly beautiful plants decorating the chamber were as big as trees. Looming at the top of one of the staircases in the center of the room was a large, lifelike artistic rendering of an attractive, but imperious-looking middle-aged woman dressed in silver robes embroidered with floral designs.

Soaked from head to toe in rainwater, the two curious orphans squished around in their wet shoes upon the marble floor, looking for doorways leading to rooms other than the entrance chamber. They found two, but they could not budge the huge doors.

Betsy, however, spotted a hallway.

"Maybe we should just stay in here until tomorrow morning." Woot noted.

"But y' said it yourself. No one's home." Betsy countered. "I don't like sleepin' on hard floors. Let's jus' see if we can find anythin' more comfy t' sleep on."

Although Woot felt a bit nervous on this suggestion, he nevertheless followed Betsy as she made her way along the hall. Fortunately, the first entrance space to their right offered a huge Sitting Room, and when they stepped in to get an idea of the space around them, Betsy nodded. Particularly when she saw couches, seats, seat cushions, and a divan. "This'll work."

"If we can reach them." Woot noted. "Remember…this is a giant's home."

Betsy thought on this. "Jus' one o' those seat cushions on that couch there." She looked to Woot. "I think if I had you on my should'rs again, you could get up there an' maybe push it down?"

"I think I'd rather dry off a little first." Woot replied, pulling off his purple vest and then his white shirt, wringing out as much of the rainwater as possible. They each found private spaces to pull off their wet clothes and squeeze out water before putting the now damp clothes back on. Woot nearly slipped on one of the puddles they had made in wringing out their clothes, but he was able to keep his footing.

"So what was th' story with the loons?" Betsy then asked. "Why did they bring us _here?_"

Woot sighed. Seeing as they had quite a bit of time before they could start thinking about turning in for a nighttime that was still hours away, he sat on a dry space of the marble floor and looked up to Betsy. "Because the loons are, well, full of themselves. If we're not _them, _we wouldn't be able to stay there. Which is kind of ironic, because they used to be _us._"

Betsy's eyes widened. "Y' mean…those bouncin' balls used t' be…_human?_"

Woot nodded. "They all had the same last name, too. One big family, all of them with the last name 'Loon'. All of them…what was that word? 'Con-seeded'. They thought they were better than anyone else, which is why they wanted a town all to themselves."

"But…what made 'em _look _like that?"

"A curse from the woman they wanted to be safe from. At the time, she was the ruler of the winkies." Woot replied. "The Wicked Witch of the West made a request of the winkies. All men, young and old, were to come to her castle for unspoken reasons. She had everyone believe it was a good thing, but it was a trap. She used her magic to bring them under her control, and also cursed them with her appearance. Loonville was still the only town that still had men and boys afterwards."

Betsy nodded in understanding. "So…that's what she turned 'em into. Those rubb'r balls."

"That's what she did when she flew over there, yeah." Woot confirmed. "She cursed them all. Every last man, woman, and child. Even the babies. All turned into those bouncing gray balls. Even worse was that if they kept thinking they were better than anyone else, they'd grow a little bigger. I'd hate to think anyone popped, but…well, I guess that's why they helped us."

"That witch was th' one that melted, right?" Betsy asked, remembering what Oscar had told her about his adventures in Oz during their time with the circus.

Woot nodded. "When Dorothy Gale threw water on her."

"An' they nev'r tried t' break that curse?" Betsy wondered aloud. "I mean, aft'r th' witch died?"

Woot shrugged. "As they are now, they don't have voices. Who could they ask to help them?"

Betsy's hands went to her waist, and she frowned at the gillikin boy. "_You _could help 'em. Y' know about 'em, don't you? Y'know their story. I think you should tell Nick about 'em."

"Nobody really liked the Loons, though." Woot reasoned. "I guess that's why no one among the winkies told Nick about them."

"Woot…if _you _won't tell th' Emp'ror," Betsy firmly remarked. "I will."

The gillikin boy smiled at this. "Why not? You're the Queen of Diamonds, after all."

Betsy giggled. "Well…used t' be."

The two orphans suddenly heard the sounds of footsteps heading in the direction of the room! They were heavy ones, as well, and both Betsy and Woot quickly ran for areas in which they could hide. Fortunately, they found shadowy places behind some of the furniture in the room. They moved as quietly as they could, and settled in just as a large, feminine shadow came upon the entranceway to the sitting room.

The giantess, who was quite lovely in overall appearance despite her huge size, looked a bit sullen in her facial expression as Betsy and Woot peered out as best as they could from their hiding places. They both breathed very slowly, despite their nervousness.

The giant woman…to whom both Betsy and Woot were the size of dolls by comparison…casually laid out across the full length of the divan, where it seemed like she was relaxing after letting out a long sigh, and she lingered in this position.

This, however, inconvenienced Woot greatly, for he had chosen to hide beneath the divan! Betsy had picked a place across from the divan, and had seen where Woot had rushed to hide. She began to worry for the gillikin boy as she remained still, concealed by the shadows around her.

The Oklahoma girl's eyes lingered on the giantess's expression as she laid out lazily. She saw the larger woman suddenly frown, and then lift her upper frame up curiously.

"A draft?" She then wondered aloud, speaking to herself in a deep but not unpleasant voice. "Did I leave the door open?"

The eyes of both Betsy and Woot widened in their mutual shock. They had forgotten to close the front door behind them!

Immediately suspicious, the giantess slipped off of the large divan and stood upright, still frowning curiously. She then breathed inward, through her nose. Turning towards the divan, she breathed in another whiff, perhaps looking for a scent as Betsy nervously watched, still safe in her hiding place. Looking down under the divan, she saw Woot's shape in the shadows beneath the divan, and it looked like it was shivering with fright.

As the giantess's back was turned to her, Betsy could not make out her expression, but she saw the woman place her hands on her hips as she spoke. "Damp clothes and sweat. I can smell you, little human." She then remarked. "You might as well come out of there."

Woot was petrified, breathing with shaky breaths, and not just because of his fear, but for the chill that came with wearing damp clothes, made more moist with his sweat. He did not want this giant woman to squash him on the spot the moment he stepped out into the light. There was no use in continuing to linger beneath the divan, however, as his scent obviously gave him away. He was at least relieved…at least, for the moment…that she didn't pick up on Betsy's presence.

"I promise, I will not hurt you." The giantess then noted. "I have been quite lonely in this castle since I left my husband, and I am in great need of company, no matter how big, or small."

Woot remained still, even though the woman's tone sounded sincere. He noted that she had mentioned a husband. He did not know that the Yoop had a wife!

The giantess sighed. "You still don't trust me, do you? I could have pulled this divan aside, grabbed you, and crushed you in my grip if I were anything like my husband. But I assure you, I am nothing like him. I do not eat people, but I can create the one thing he did enjoy eating that I used to make for him. Have you ever tried orange marmalade, little human?"

The woman waited for a moment, wondering if this would reward her with an answer. She was instead given continued silence, other than the faint but evident shaky breathing beneath the divan. Betsy saw that the upright shape had gone to the ground. She figured Woot had perhaps curled into a fetal ball in his absolute fright.

But the woman continued speaking. "Oh, it's a _delicious _creation. Combining the peels of the _sweeeeetest_ oranges with its most _succulent, mouth-watering_ juices…throwing in a bit of _sugar_, and plenty of thirst-quenching _water_…just the thing to ease an empty, complaining belly. Even if you're not hungry now, you'll want something to eat, eventually…won't you, little human?"

From her vantage point, Betsy wondered if she could get to Woot by moving between furniture pieces. Unfortunately, much of the furniture in the sitting room had gaps too large to traverse quickly without being spotted. Particularly with the giantess being where she was, staring down upon the divan, knowing full well someone was hiding under there, deliberately taunting him by appealing to his belly.

Betsy herself was not immune to this, however, as she suddenly felt her own belly murmur a complaint. Her eyes widened with fear. It was not a loud noise, and she hoped the woman did not notice it. If she turned around…

"You have my word of honor, little human." The giantess remarked, still facing the divan. "If you come out, I will provide you with a very comfortable place to sleep for the night, and give you plenty of food to eat. Perhaps you would like me to introduce you to Polly, as well? She's a very sweet canary, and I think she will like seeing someone else around the castle. She may even begin to sing, as I wish her to."

All this time speaking, Woot thought, and the giantess gave no indication that anyone other than him was in the room, and it was at the very least to his comfort that Betsy might find a way to escape, and perhaps find help. He had to swallow his fear, and call any hint of a bluff being laid down by the larger woman.

But when he finally stepped out into the light…much to Betsy's silent horror…he was _not _crushed where he stood. Woot swallowed hard, trying to be brave as he gazed up, timidly, at the giantess. She looked exactly like the woman in the large picture he and Betsy had seen in the entrance room, save for the additional presence of an elaborate lace-work apron which seeemed to stand out against her silver robes.

The larger woman smiled pleasantly down upon the gillikin boy once she spotted him. "_There _you are. See? I haven't squashed you, have I?"

Woot shook his head, smiling nervously. He figured with the giantess's promise of food, he would save some for Betsy if they ever reunited. Assuming, of course, it was small enough for him to carry.

"Uh…y..you're the Yoop's wife?" was the boy's first nervous words to the woman that loomed over him.

"Yes, I'm Mrs. Yoop." The giantess confirmed. "And what is _your _name, young man?"

"I…I'm Woot." The gillikin boy replied.

"Woot! What a cute name!" Mrs. Yoop remarked approvingly. "Sounds like the kind of name I would give to a newborn child, in fact, if ever I were to have one…so, you came seeking shelter, did you?"

Woot nodded. "It's pretty heavy out there, the rain."

"Yes…I heard it's for the farming communities. It inconveniences me, though, as I enjoy taking strolls around my castle just to stretch my legs." Mrs. Yoop explained. "It gets far too quiet around here. I'd like that to change."

Woot nodded in genuine understanding of this. "Being in one place for too long bothers me, too. I used to do a lot of wandering around the lands of Oz. To places which I knew were safe to be around. Munchkin festivals, quadling fairs, winkie crafting conventions…I'd be out and around for hours. Days, even. Drove my parents crazy."

Mrs. Yoop arched an eyebrow. "You have parents? Do they know you're here?"

Woot lowered his head slowly, a mournful expression on his face. "They…they're gone. The Wicked Witch of the East, she…" His voice trailed off.

The eyes of the giantess widened upon hearing this, looking surprised.

Betsy's expression was similar to that of Mrs. Yoop. Woot, after all, never told her about his parents, and what happened to them. She didn't even notice him among the orphans in the front row during her performance.

She wondered how Mrs. Yoop would respond to this.

"It seems we both have something in common, Woot." Mrs. Yoop then remarked. "Both of us have been forced to deal with terrible people. I am no stranger to the manner of death and destruction those two witches inflicted upon those who they even suspected of opposing their rule over Munchkinland, and the Winkie Country."

Woot looked up to her curiously. "They hurt you, too? Are they the reason you're so…big?"

Mrs. Yoop giggled. "Oh, no. Like my husband, I have always been a giant, although I am capable of taking many other forms. I obviously prefer to be what you see me as now, though. As for the witch-sisters, I stayed away from all that. Stayed in my castle, so as not to attract their attention. In my case, however, my problems came from my husband."

Woot tilted his head. "Why?"

"Because of his horrible appetite." The giantess replied. "Our people were a little less cultured in the past. They craved the taste of human flesh and human blood. Animals, too. Some giants, however, found that this created far more problems than any kind of personal satisfaction, and resolved to broaden their cravings. Particularly when they saw the kinds of foods humans were capable of creating."

"But…your husband wanted to keep eating humans and animals." Woot surmised aloud.

"Exactly." Mrs. Yoop confirmed. "I tried making every kind of food I had learned how to make, but of all the dishes he tried, he only liked one."

"The orange marmalade, right?"

Mrs. Yoop nodded. "Now you know why I mentioned it. The offer is still open, though, if you would like me to make you some."

Woot, however, remained curious about her relationship with the cannibal giant. "So it was because of his appetite that you left him?"

"Hardly." The giantess answered. "He was a repulsive and violent man. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times that…that _cretin _has struck me in anger. Sometimes over the most insignificant things!"

"So why didn't you just turn into something else, and get away from him?" Woot wondered aloud.

Mrs. Yoop smiled. "That's exactly what I did. I watched as he abandoned the castle in a rage, and he went on a rampage that ended when he was captured by the quadlings with Glinda's help. From then on, I stayed in my castle and enjoyed the solitude. If I ever see that disgusting cad come anywhere near here…or near _me_…ever again, I'll turn him into the smallest, ugliest bug I can think of, and squash him _flat_."

Woot frowned at this. "You can do that?"

The giantess nodded. "It's my special talent. I can change anything and anyone into anything I wish. All I need to do…" She raised up an index finger in emphasis. "…is _point _at what I want to change."

Woot thought on this, coming up with an idea as his eyes found one of the nearby couch cushions. "Can you show me? Can you…put that cushion on the ground…" He indicated the cushion. "…and change it into a really nice bed?"

Mrs. Yoop giggled at the thought. "I suppose that would be an adequate demonstration." She then moved to the couch, grabbing the cushion. Betsy made sure she was completely out of sight beneath her hiding spot as the giantess placed the cushion on the floor. As Betsy and Woot watched, Mrs. Yoop leveled her index finger at it, and the cushion seemed to blossom like a flower, becoming a full four-poster bed with purple silken sheets and a thick gray cotton comforter. White sheets covered a dual-layered mattress, and a fluffy, white-sheeted pillow laid above the neatly-folded bedsheets. The four-poster frame was even wrought in solid gold.

The eyes of both orphans widened in amazement. "Wow…!"

Mrs. Yoop beamed with pride at her creation. She then reached down, unexpectedly, and grabbed Woot with a gentle grip. "Come with me, young Woot. I want to show you my pet canary." With a casual stride, Mrs. Yoop then stepped out of the sitting room and headed for the entrance chamber. "But let's take care of this draft, first."

She then extended an open hand towards the slightly-open doorway. "Close".

Woot watched the door secure itself, shutting tight. His immediate concern was for Betsy, but he knew she at least had a place to sleep. Mrs. Yoop then turned and walked towards a staircase, ascending it to the castle's second floor. She maintained a gentle and careful grip on Woot's waist as she held his smaller body.

Betsy waited until the sound of her footsteps was enough of a distance away before she finally stepped out into the light. Although she was obviously very concerned for Woot's well-being, she had to get a closer look at the bed that had been created. As a matter of blind luck, it was just Betsy's size, too. Perfect for her to sleep in.

She could not help but wonder if Woot was in any danger, though. She also heard the door close, which pretty much trapped her inside the castle.

Betsy had no choice but to wait. Or at least do a bit of careful sightseeing…

* * *

The examination went well into the evening, and…true to her suspicions as to Professor Wogglebug's apparently boundless capacity for knowledge…the various questions posed to Dorothy proved to be a _very _tough slog.

The benefit of the magic glasses, however, worn during the munchkin's tutoring sessions and effectively educating her as well as Tula, allowed Dorothy to not only absorb a great deal of knowledge, but to retain it as well. It did not make her the smartest person on the planet, but it certainly made her capable of answering questions to the Professor's satisfaction.

That the round-bodied munchkin did in fact feel that she had answered certain questions incorrectly actually made Dorothy feel a bit relieved. She figured that someone as knowledgable as Professor Wogglebug would expect each and every one of his questions answered correctly. She resigned herself to the expectation that she could indeed put Boq's notion of making her a 'Ministress of Education' behind her.

Never once did she purposely fail a question from the Professor, though. Dorothy wanted very much to test her own grasp of the knowledge she had amassed after two years of schooling Tula. The former human girl from Kansas surprised herself on many occasions as the munchkin tutor she had become provided her answers, not realizing she herself had learned just as much as the younger munchkin she had been oath-bound to educate.

Such was the steadfast resolve of the insectoid Professor to test Dorothy's knowledge that he never offered the benefit of a break. No snacks, and no meals. Fortunately, she had devoured a full meal prior to the start of the test once the Scarecrow had finished his practice testing, making herself the very invigorating and juicy Triple-Layered Quadling Pinkmeat dish a handmaiden of Glinda's Palace had taught her, complete with spiced gravy dressing and a heaping amount of lightly-buttered mashed potatoes, derived from fresh potatoes given to her by her Aunt Em and her Uncle Henry. According to the quadlings who enjoyed this dish, Pinkmeat…for all the calories the Scarecrow accurately surmised it would add…was brain food as well.

She was also pleased that the Scarecrow's own test of Dorothy's knowledge made her a little more sharp, and she recognized several of the Professor's questions as being similar to the ones the Scarecrow had asked her.

The Professor had opted to test Dorothy at the headquarters for the Learning Guild, and the only ones in the meeting room would be the one giving the test(the Professor, of course), and the person he was testing(Dorothy). Visitors and bystanders were expected to wait outside of the testing area, and so the atmosphere was quiet save for the sounds of Professor Wogglebug and Miss Dorothy. As the skies began to darken in their dissolve to nighttime above, they noticed that the all-important rains had finally stopped for the day as well, and the magically-generated clouds high above were quickly evaporating.

In her determination to answer any and all questions the Professor would put before her, she never once wondered how much longer it would be. She didn't care if he would continue to test her right into the next morning. She wanted to be able to apply an attempt to each and every one of the insectoid educator's questions. During his testing, he had been slowly pacing around the munchkin tutor, who remained in the blue and white outfit she had been wearing.

As irony would have it, it was a question relating to the right triangle…which Dorothy was entirely capable of answering…that was asked before the Professor finally stopped pacing around the anxious, round-bodied munchkin. He then stepped over to pick up an item he had brought with him. A radium square the size of a human forearm, which had a series of thin bars running across it. Threaded through each of these bars were colored beads. Dorothy knew this to be an abacus.

As the Professor lightly hummed a tune, he began to check the abacus, and it seemed as if he was quietly assessing the ratio of correct and incorrect answers. Dorothy surmised that the beads had magically arranged themselves against this ratio.

The humming then stopped, and Professor Wogglebug placed the abacus back on the desk. He then stepped over to Dorothy.

"As you might have surmised, my dear, I have quite sufficiently examined your mental acumen to my complete satisfaction." The Professor confirmed, a slight smile on his face. "I must say, my formerly human friend, that you have established yourself among the high percentages of schooled individuals more than prepared for university-level development…but at the same time, I must also admit that yours was in no way a flawless succession of correct responses. That would be most unsettling, however. Even as a munchkin, there are limits to the pursuit of knowledge…but I would absolutely rate you among the smartest munchkins I have ever tested."

Dorothy had to blush at this, lowering her head bashfully as she smiled. "Thank you, Professor." She then rose her head back up curiously. "So…well, I hope you'll pardon my curiosity, but…where I came from, it's a matter of principle that there are grades involved when it comes to judging whether or not someone has passed a test."

"Oh, really?" The round-bodied, thin-limbed Professor mused, his eyebrows raised. "And…what would be an indication of a barely passing grade where you come from?"

"I think it was…Sixty-five percent." Dorothy replied.

"Horrid." The educator remarked, somewhat disdainfully. "Rest assured, my dear, that you are indeed far above, and far beyond this percentage. In fact, I would estimate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you have answered a gold standard of 89.5% of my questions correctly. I would estimate that most munchkins, owing to Munchkinland's current educational standards, would accomplish the equivalent of a variable between 80 and 85 percent."

Dorothy's eyes slowly widened as her gaze drifted to the ground. Her expression was one of amazement. "I…I passed…"

"An accomplishment of this magnitude demands more than just a report of your passing, Miss Dorothy." The Wogglebug then announced. "I feel it is my foremost duty, my dear, to relay my personal recommendation unto the Mayor of Munchkinland that you be given the honorary title he believes you should bear. Congratulations, Grand Ministress."

The die had now been cast, seeing as how she had already accepted Boq's offer. Now, she felt more confident than ever that she could handle whatever responsibility her new role demanded of her.

The Wogglebug, however, looked upon her with concern as he stood behind her. He gently placed an insectoid hand upon her shoulder as he spoke, wondering if she was upset about something. "Miss Dorothy? Are you all right, my dear?"

Her body began to shake, and a muted sound could be heard from her closed lips.

The sound was more clear when she took another breath.

It was _laughter_.

Clear, loud, and jolly laughter.

Dorothy then let out a long, contented, and audible sigh, looking quite blissed.

After a moment of thought, the Professor broke the silence. "Miss Dorothy, if I may…and please understand that I am asking for purely academic reasons…how does, well, being a human compare to being what you are now?"

Dorothy shrugged, smiling cutely. "Well…I'm certainly _shorter_…" She then lapsed into a more analytic mode. "…but when you think about how most humans in the outside world tend to be so…so brash and…and arrogant in nature, and even rude, munchkin life just seems so charmingly _quaint_ by comparison. I can't help but see the good in that."

"Indeed." The Wogglebug nodded, thinking on Dorothy's observations. "A considerably superlative exercise in humility, to be sure. I fancy that you are finding the notion of having to quite literally look up to those taller than yourself oddly appealing."

Dorothy shot a finger towards the Professor in emphasis of her agreement. "_Precisely!_"

The Wogglebug smiled. "Well, my erudite little munchkin…might I exercise the honor of providing you with transportation back to your most humble home at this late hour?"

The smiling munchkin bowed courteously. "Please do, good sir."

As the hour was indeed late, most everyone waiting outside of the school-like headquarters had gone home. Once the Professor opened the door leading outside, however, he discovered one exception.

It was Boq's personal taxi.

Although the driver was stirred out of his inescapable urge to take a 'quick nap' by the sound of the front door to the nearby headquarters opening, its only other occupant…Boq himself...remained fast asleep in the passenger area. He was upright, but his head was angled back against the seat cushion, his eyes were shut, and his mouth was amusingly agape as he breathed steadily, occasionally letting out a snore.

The munchkin driver kept his tone hushed as he looked to the Professor. "Finally finished, eh?"

The Professor also kept his voice low in its volume. "Very much so. I imagine you are to hasten her to her home?"

"As per the Mayor's request, yes." The driver confirmed. "Seems like his nap is lasting more than a few seconds, I'm afraid."

"Mmm. So much for the good administrator's 'legendarily light sleeper' boast." The Wogglebug mused as he held open the door for the smiling munchkin tutor. She moved towards the taxi with her head held high, and a sense of pride in her step. Carefully settling herself next to the Mayor, a gentle snap of the reins signalled the pink horse…whose fur began to switch to an orange color…to begin moving.

As the taxi made its way to Dorothy's home, the carriage momentarily rocked from side to side, and Boq consequentially slid towards his munchkin passenger as he slept. His head now rested against the munchkin tutor's shoulder. A bit startled by this, Dorothy quietly giggled to herself, and settled the wealthy munchkin gentleman's head upon her legs, effectively allowing him to sleep on her lap.

She smiled pleasantly as she looked down at his deeply sleeping form, gently rubbing one of his shoulders. Such a charming, well-meaning gentleman, Dorothy thought to herself. Not exactly a knight in shining armor, but from a more humble perspective, the attractive qualities he did have were considerable.

He was more like…a prince. And a handsome one at that.

As she continued to pleasantly look down at him, she wondered what Maud…the woman he had married who was among those killed by the Wicked Witch of the East…was like. Dorothy had never seen a picture of her, and she was now quite curious.

But she wasn't about to disturb her sleeping benefactor at the moment with such concerns. It could wait for another day or so. The munchkin tutor just continued to rub at his shoulder gently, a pleasant smile still on her face.

Such was her deep line of thought that she failed to notice that the taxi had stopped moving, and that they were right in front of her house. It was a nudge from the driver that brought her out of her pleasant moment.

Dorothy nodded in confirmation, and then gently lifted Boq upright. She heard him murmur a bit as he briefly writhed in his want for comfort. He also had a slight smile on his lips.

After a moment of consideration, Dorothy's head slowly moved closer to the Mayor's as the driver curiously watched.

She then tenderly pressed her lips against his, lingering them there for a long moment before pulling away.

"Good night, my sweet prince." She then whispered.

* * *

Mrs. Yoop kept her grip on Woot firm, but painless as she and the boy went past the very nice-looking double doors to a larger room, this one a study with three bookcases full of books, a desk, and yet another divan, this one a little more exquisite and vibrant in color…the cushions covered in a gold-lined bright red velour…compared to the one in the sitting room downstairs, which by comparison looked a little more worn and plain in appearance.

Woot heard a bit of movement, and the mild clanging of steel, above his position. When he looked up, he saw a large, domed cage hanging from a post, and a bird with bright yellow feathers looked down upon the boy curiously once Mrs. Yoop brought him in. Not one sound…not a single chirp…emerged from the bird's beak at all.

The giantess, however, smiled as she looked to the bird and gestured to Woot. "Polly…this is Woot, our newest guest. I hope his presence will make you happy enough to begin singing for me. He's a particularly pleasant-mannered boy. I think you will like him."

As Mrs. Yoop made her introductions, Woot scanned the walls, and saw a couple of decorative pictures, each of them depicting jungle scenes. Below one was what looked to be a stuffed toy, this one a green-bodied monkey with black felt eyes and a smiling mouth. Woot also noticed that the pictures also featured green monkeys as well.

Mrs. Yoop sighed. Not even the presence of the boy was compelling the bird to tweet out a happy song, and her head lowered in her despair. "Is there not _something _that would compel you to make any kind of a pleasant noise, Polly?" She quietly griped, trying not to lose her temper in her irritation.

Woot was a bit curious now. "How long have you had Polly?"

"Ohh, about a week." The giantess replied, removing the apron she had been wearing and draping it over the back of a nearby chair. "When I saw her dancing about, I knew I had to have her, and so I created a very spacious and clean cage with plenty of room for her to fly around. I have been feeding her, and giving her plenty of water. But this bird has grown so sullen since I took her in."

"Maybe it prefers the open air." Woot surmised aloud. "Maybe she just wants to be free to fly around wherever she likes, without having bars around her all the time."

"But I have been taking good care of her!" Mrs. Yoop protested. "I even told her that if she could sing me at least one tune, I could open the cage and let her fly wherever she wishes, so long as she remains in the castle."

"Well…I would think that if she's been this way for about a week, this may not be the kind of place she enjoys." Woot reasoned. "I mean…not _every _animal can be kept as a pet."

Mrs. Yoop thought on this, gazing up at the sullen bird as she continued to look down at the gillikin boy. "Well…she does seem quite a bit interested in _you _at the moment, little Woot. She hasn't taken her eyes off of you since I brought you in here."

He hoped he wouldn't incur the larger woman's wrath by making the suggestion, but he went ahead and made it anyway. "I think you should let Polly go. I think that's why she's so interested in me. We're talking about what she might like, after all. What would make her happy."

She started to protest further…but a somewhat nefarious thought occurred to the giantess. Setting the bird free would not be a complete loss, after all. Not when she now had someone in her castle to serve as a more than adequate substitute.

"Perhaps you're right, my little friend." Mrs. Yoop calmly remarked. "But as I had mentioned, I do not wish to be alone in a silent castle. Would you be willing to remain with me, Woot? Keep me company here? I did mean what I said before. You will be well fed, and you will have plenty to drink while you are in my company."

Although his concern for Betsy was still quite evident, he found the idea of spending a bit of time with the giantess appealing. As nice as she turned out to be, he figured that Mrs. Yoop would let him go in the morning. Particularly once he explained his reasons for being in the area. Over food and drinks, he would explain everything. He would explain about the accident and about the Emperor. Somehow, too, he would need to reveal Betsy's presence in the castle as well. And in a manner that would not seem very suspicious to the giantess.

Mrs. Yoop nodded, giving the notion of setting the bird free another bit of thought as she gazed upon the caged canary. "I don't think you could cause me any real trouble. Not like this." She spoke this particular observation in a manner too silent for Woot to hear very clearly.

The giantess then reached up and unhooked the cage from its post, bringing it to the desk. She then retrieved her apron and tied it around her waist before opening the cage door and trapping the bird between her two large hands. She then looked to Woot, smiling. "I'll be right back."

Woot then heard a very pleasant female voice in his head as Mrs. Yoop left the room. _I will not forget this, little human. Thank you._

Frowning in confusion, Woot headed out of the room and watched Mrs. Yoop take the bird downstairs. As he watched, he heard the voice once more in his head.

_I offer you this important bit of knowledge as a reward for having Mrs. Yoop set me free. The apron she wears is the key to magically opening and closing the doors in her castle. Simply point to the door and say either 'open' or 'close' while wearing the apron. It is the only way you can escape this place. Good luck…and I hope to see you again very soon._

It was not until the voice in Woot's head finished speaking that the bird twittered happily as she flew away. Mrs. Yoop had opened the front door to the castle, and had extended her open hands to allow the bird to escape. Woot smiled when he finally heard the bird singing happily.

Betsy also saw this from a hiding place not too far away. As much as she wanted to make a mad dash for the open entranceway, she remained where she was. She did not want the giantess to spot her. There was something about the giantess that made Betsy wary of Mrs. Yoop. Even with all the pleasantries she had apparently been displaying.

With a resigned sigh, Mrs. Yoop stepped back into the castle and leveled a finger towards the entranceway. "Close." She commanded, holding her finger out. The large entrance doors swung in and secured themselves.

Betsy wondered if that was the trick. She had already tried the doors while Mrs. Yoop was upstairs with Woot. They were shut tight, and she could not budge them at all. If it was as simple as commanding them with a single word to open or close, she figured it would be worth a try.

When Woot saw the giantess turn and begin walking towards the staircase, the gillikin boy hurried back inside the open study.

As he waited, he stepped towards the area with the plush toy monkey, tilting his head to the side curiously. As his gaze lingered, he seemed to become a little more curious about this thing sitting so awkwardly. Why didn't it move, he thought? The notion compelled him to scratch at his head with a green-furred arm.

And when he noticed the fur on his arm, he was also startled to see that he was no longer wearing any clothes, and his posture now hunched forward once he had realized that his bare body was now covered with green fur!. He did not feel any pain whatsoever as his brows beetled slightly, and the areas of his face that were below the flaring nostrils of his nose suddenly bulged forward to become a round, simian face. His arms were longer, and when he looked down to his hands and feet, he saw that they, too, were now simian in nature as his gut expanded, leaving him with the shape of a green-furred monkey!

Disoriented by the strange sensations that were addling his mind with the sudden transformation, Woot turned to look behind him, and confirmed that Mrs. Yoop was standing there, smiling, with her index finger extended towards him. She couldn't help but look amused as his furry body shuddered one last time over a sharp tingling sensation that could now be felt at the base of his spine. Looking behind him, his simian eyes falling upon the source of this sharp tingling, he saw that a long, furry tail was growing out from his posterior!

As Woot looked to the giantess in astonishment, she grinned. "Oh yes. I think you and I are going to have a _lot _of fun together, my little pet."

The despairing simian worried that he would no longer be able to speak. He still had knowledge of who he was…or rather, what he used to be…after all, and so he felt he could still naturally be able to form words. The first few sounds out of his mouth were the chitters of what he had become, but upon concentrating a little harder, he fixed his eyes on Mrs. Yoop and attempted to vocalize his thoughts.

"Wh…whuh…" he began, instinctively letting out a few 'ooks' before continuing. "Wha..t…whuh…_ook_…whuuh…wh…_whyyyy_…?"

"Oh, come now. That didn't hurt, did it?" Mrs. Yoop reasoned, smiling. "Don't worry about your not being able to speak. My magic is still very strong upon you. You should be able to speak freely in about an hour or so. I want to be able to have pleasant conversations with my green monkey, after all."

"Y…you…say…_ook_…you s…say yoo_ook_…you…you nnn…nno hurt…"

"Yes, I promised I would not hurt you, Woot, and I have been true to my word." Mrs. Yoop reasoned as she moved towards the divan, her eyes lingering on her newest prize. "But I never said that I would not _change _you. I cannot have a human guest around this place. Particularly one as young as you. You would tempt a giant's natural craving for human flesh and blood. You would tempt _me _to eat you, and I cannot have that. You have been far too nice to me."

Woot could not help but feel angry over his current predicament, and he frowned and began to chitter loudly and furiously.

Mrs. Yoop, however, raised a hand before the green monkey. "Now, now, Woot. Behave yourself. Be as happy as you can be as my new pet."

The oddness he suddenly felt in his head seemed to dissolve his frown in that moment, his simian face now wearing a more pleasant and docile expression as he loped over towards the giantess, leaping up onto an empty space on the divan Mrs. Yoop was now lying across. The larger woman then ran a hand over the green monkey's fur, and Woot rubbed himself against the hand approvingly, feeling entirely pleasant in this moment.

Even through the magically-induced bliss, however, he still remembered what the voice in his head had told him, and he hoped that even a giantess like Mrs. Yoop needed to turn in for the night.

No matter how late the hour, he had to get Betsy out of the castle before she was spotted by Mrs. Yoop.

But, for the moment, he was quite happy being lovingly caressed by Mrs. Yoop.


	6. VI: Giant Steps

**AUTHOR'S WARNING:**

**Be advised that Woot's denouement, revealed in this chapter, is a deliberate alteration from what happens in ****_The Tin Woodman of Oz_****. The notion was given heavy consideration prior to its implementation, and I ultimately found it to be a twist that was compelling enough to make use of.**

**I should also credit Romantic Twist's story, ****_Mrs. Yoop of Oz_****…****located in the ****_Wonderful Wizard of Oz _****portion of the ****_Books _****category…for inspiring the twist.**

**My thanks to Gotham317…writer of ****_The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy's Adventure _****and ****_Return to Oz: Dorothy To The Rescue_****…****for voicing a concern which will be addressed here, as well.**

* * *

**VI: Giant Steps**

Woot's time spent with Mrs. Yoop turned out to be quite pleasant, and not at all demeaning or cruel. The food she had fed the green monkey was quite delicious, and he was given plenty of clear water to drink as well. He did not speak much, but he more or less 'played the part' of what he had been turned into, trying to recollect their behaviors and mannerisms from his past wanderings. It was ironic that monkeys had a habit for wandering themselves, and if he had the chance, he figured that a wander around the castle itself would be quite fulfilling.

In the entire time, he had hoped that Betsy was not doing anything rash or unwise, or at least doing anything that would reveal her position at the very least. No loud sounds were heard down below in the time he and Mrs. Yoop shared together. This was to Woot's considerable relief. If Mrs. Yoop knew that there was another human in the castle, he didn't want to know what kind of creature or animal…or perhaps even what kind of _thing_…the giantess would turn her into.

It was to Woot's relief that Mrs. Yoop began to visibly tire as the hour grew late, and she let out a great yawn in her drowsiness as she amusedly watched the green monkey make his way around the fullness of the study, satisfying whatever curiosity he wanted her to believe he had for everything around him.

Mrs. Yoop's eyes were half-lidded as she spoke. "It's wonderful that you are what you are now, Woot. I got that monkey doll at a gillikin fair about a month ago, and I couldn't help but think what it would be like to have something like that…a green monkey…actually exist, and the beauty of my power as a Yookoohoo is that my magic cannot be broken."

Woot tilted his head as he stepped back over to her. "Y…Yoo_ook_…_ook_…yyy…yookook…oo…_oook_…yyyookoohoo?"

The giantess gently ran a hand over his furry head at this. "Don't concern yourself about that now, my sweet monkey." She then gestured over to where she had created Woot's meal. "Look…you haven't even finished what I've given you, and it is getting cold. I must retire for the night. Tomorrow, after my morning walk around the castle, we can speak further. I imagine you'll be a little more capable of speaking clearly tomorrow, anyway."

Rising from her divan, she picked the green monkey up and gave Woot's simian forehead a kiss. "You're free to roam around my castle during the night until you tire. If you still wish to sleep as humans do, you can use the bed I created downstairs in the sitting room." She then placed Woot back on the ground and began to move for the study's exit, but she then turned to make what she thought was an amusing observation. "Hmmm…Woot. What a perfect name for my green monkey. Fate must have brought you to me."

Woot sighed, his head lowered. "I guess."

Mrs. Yoop's face looked a little more sympathetic now as she removed her apron and draped it over the back of a high chair. "I promise you're going to be happy here, little pet. Even moreso if you can be a good guard monkey as I sleep." She giggled at this. "Good night!"

Woot took his own tail in his furry hands, gazing at it as he heard Mrs. Yoop walk towards the room she used as a bedroom, rubbing a simian hand along its fur, and feeling the sensations resonate along his spine pleasantly. He kept petting the tail for a bit, perhaps getting used to the sensation of actually having a tail. He then heard a door close.

Woot then moved to where his meal was, and fashioned a meat loaf sandwich with the uneaten bread and meat that was there. He figured he would make two trips in his current want to feed Betsy before getting her out of the castle. One to give her the sandwich, the other to get her the full glass of water Mrs. Yoop had provided for him on request. He figured all of these food items were fashioned from what were once items she must have picked up during her strolls. Rocks, twigs, flowers…all of them altered to become food and drink for Mrs. Yoop and her new pet.

A handy power, Woot thought, but a terrifying one at the same time.

After attending to Betsy's hunger, he needed to get that apron. He just hoped that the effort would not be too difficult, and no loud noises would be made in the effort.

Making his way down the stairs proved to be an interesting exercise of his simian physique, although holding the meat loaf sandwich without dropping it or ruining it was the obvious challenge. Staring upon his tail, he wondered if it would be possible to make it move around. Perhaps even as a third limb.

Willing the tail to move as best he could, he was at least able to make it twitch about, at first.

He then saw the tail begin to beat lightly against the ground, as he had willed it to. Clearly, transmitting his wants through a new appendage proved to be an interesting experience, and his curiosity over what he had been changed into grew.

In the next moment, the tail began moving around as he had wanted it to, and Woot smiled at this. He had an urge to screech and whoop with simian joy, but he had to logically refrain from this notion for the obvious reasons.

He carefully willed the tail to wrap around the meat loaf sandwich and hold it with a firm grip. After two botched attempts, he was finally able to wrap the furry tail around it and hold it above him.

He then began to descend the stairs, moving very carefully. Having longer arms helped with the added reach between the steps.

As he approached the sitting room, he wondered if Betsy had made any attempts to climb the stairs.

When Woot found the bed, it was indeed occupied...but when he got a look at Betsy's face, he saw that she did not look well. In fact, she looked a little pale. When he heard the murmur of complaint in the girl's gut, he knew why.

Yet, she had managed to drift off to sleep.

Sighing in the realization of how she might react when she saw what he had been turned into, he nevertheless moved up to the bed and began nudging the girl in hopes of waking her up. "Betsy? Betsy, wake up." He whispered, loud enough for the girl to hear.

She began to move, and slowly flutter her eyes. After letting out a long, quiet yawn, she rubbed at her eyes as Woot presented her with the meat loaf sandwich.

But Betsy's eyes fixed more on Woot than on the sandwich when she angled her upper body from the pillow. She did hear Woot's voice, but…how could it have come from this green-furred creature that was offering her food?

"Woot?" Betsy squinted her eyes, rubbing them a little more. "Is...is that you?"

Woot sighed, lowering his head. It occurred to him that he could have pretended to be a curious monkey pet from the upper levels of the castle, but then that would have had Betsy worrying about Woot's fate. He had to confirm who he was. "Yes. I…didn't know what she was gonna dooo…_ook_…t..too_ook_…to me…"

Staring in disbelief, Betsy rubbed a hand along the fur along the sides of Woot's face, confirming that this was no mere illusion. She did find the fur to be as soft as silk, though.

"Can…can you be changed back?" Betsy asked, keeping her voice silent. "Can this spell be broken?"

"She told me it can't be." Woot replied, keeping silent as well. "And I don't wanna see her do this to_ook_…t…to yo_oo_u. I got y…you some food here…" He found it a little easier by now to concentrate on keeping his speech free of 'ooks'. "…and I can go back up to get you water. Then I need to get you out of here."

"But…th' door. We can't get out."

"I know how to open it." Woot noted. "Mrs. Yoop's apron is the key. I'm gonna get it for you, and you're gonna let yourself out."

"But…what about _you?_" Betsy quietly whined. "I can't leave you here?"

"Betsy, you _have _to." Woot countered. "Don't worry about me. I should be fine. I'm more worried about what Mrs. Yoop might do to _you_ if you stay. Besides…" He stepped back so Betsy could get a good look at him. "I don't look so bad as a monkey, do I?"

"But Woot…" Betsy protested. "…it's not th' real _you_."

The green monkey stepped back in and handed off the meat loaf sandwich. "Go on. I saved that for you. Eat up. I know it's not much, but you'll need your strength if I'm gonna get you out of here. You want some water?"

Betsy looked down at the sandwich, and then began eating it. Although it was a little cold, it was nevertheless satisfactory for the moment. She shook her head in answer to Woot's question.

Woot nodded. "I'll go see if I can get that apron then."

"Wait." Betsy raised a hand of restraint. "If…she's as good as she says she is…I mean, oth'r than what happen'd t' you…d' you think she might be able t' help us free Nick? I mean…her bein' a giant, she could pull Nick off that tree."

"That's a great idea…" Woot replied. "…but then, I'd have to tell her about you. She still doesn't know that you're here. If she finds out, she may not want you to leave."

"Well, _I _sure can't pull him out o' there!" Betsy quietly protested. "She may be our only chance! You've got t' try to talk t' her!"

"But what if she decides to change you?" Woot asked.

Betsy sighed. She knew there was a terrible risk to this. Particularly for what Woot now looked like. But she figured if Mrs. Yoop was truly a bad person, she would have used her magic to try and take over the land. Make some kind of plan to conquer it. For the moment, it seemed she was nothing more than a covetous recluse…and a giant one at that.

Betsy glanced to the green monkey curiously. "Did it hurt?"

Woot frowned, and then realized what she meant. "No. It didn't hurt at all. I just felt kind of odd. Next thing I knew, my face was puffing out and I had hair all over my body. Oh…and look." He showed her his new appendage. "I have a tail now."

Betsy held the tail in her hands with a light grip, running a hand over its fur. It was just as silky soft as the rest of Woot's green pelt. Woot smiled as his newfound tail muscles tickled at Betsy's nose, and she giggled at this.

"Seriously, though." Woot spoke, his tone once again serious. "This may not be such a good idea."

"You've got t' try, Woot." Betsy gently placed a hand on Woot's furry shoulder. "If it doesn't work? Well…I guess I'll have t' get used t' havin' a tail o' my own. Least I won't be alone, right?"

"No." said a voice which made Woot's blood run cold. "I imagine he won't."

Their heads turned to the sitting room's entrance. Mrs. Yoop stood there, very much awake, looking down upon them both with her arms crossed.

She then tossed down a couple of rocks, which were as pebbles in the hand of the giantess, but large boulders to her two smaller guests. They gasped with their impacts upon the ground.

Mrs. Yoop then brought up her index finger towards one of the boulders, and it became a table upon which the very same meal she had fed to Woot had materialized. An empty glass was also among the items on the table.

Her finger then moved to the second boulder, and it morphed to become a basin of clear drinking water.

Mrs. Yoop's eyes then fell on Woot. "That is _only _for your friend there. You will not touch one scrap of it, pet. When we are finished here, you are coming with me back upstairs."

Woot nodded, his head lowering, sighing in his clear defeat. "Yes, Mrs. Yoop."

The giantess then brought her finger up again, leveling it at Betsy now. "As for _you_…"

A shocked Woot leaped in front of Betsy, holding his arms out fearfully. "NO! Please! She won't hurt you!"

But then, Mrs. Yoop raised her hand up, holding her palm out as before, applying compliant bliss to the green monkey, and his arms drooped to the sides, staring up contentedly to the giantess.

The giantess then gestured to the space in front of her. "Step over here, little monkey."

Woot complied, and Mrs. Yoop picked him up, cradling him in her arms. Stroking gently at his headfur, she then looked back at Betsy, who had not been changed at all. "As for you, dear…you look hungry. Have yourself that more nourishing meal there, and then get some sleep. In the morning, I will have figured out what you are to become. Good night, little girl."

Betsy swallowed audibly, understandably nervous, as she moved from the bed to the table full of food. A part of her logically worried for what she was to be turned into as Mrs. Yoop stepped away from the sitting room entranceway with the green monkey Woot had become in her arms.

The food was quite nourishing, at least…and when she had eaten enough to feel a bit stuffed, she went back to the bed and slipped into the covers.

As much as the uncertainty of what would happen to her in the morning made it difficult for her to sleep, another big yawn prefaced the closing of her eyes, and she drifted back to sleep.

Mrs. Yoop, in the meantime, went back to the study. She gently put Woot back down and then wrapped the apron around her waist. Her expression was quite serious.

Woot had to try and get through with her. "Please…if you could just hear us out…"

The giantess fixed a stern gaze on the green monkey. "_In the morning, _pet." She then scooped him back into her arms. "I have a comfortable couch you can sleep in right across from my bed. I won't be leaving the door open, either."

As Mrs. Yoop drifted off to sleep, Woot also found it initially difficult to relax. The lavish, purple-cushioned couch was indeed comfortable enough, although he now wondered if everything around him…even the couch he was given to sleep in…had once been human beings. Intruders, like him and Betsy.

In his fervent hopes that Mrs. Yoop would be swayed from condemning the girl to a form other than her own, his eyes finally fluttered shut, and his breathing slowed.

As his consciousness faded, he found it interesting that while he had no sheets covering his furry body, his silken pelt alone made it feel like he was.

* * *

In the early morning hours of the next day…which was a Monday…people in all five of the lands in Oz opened their doors to a much more lovely and sun-illuminated day compared to the much more soggy Sunday they had finally put behind them.

In Munchkinland, however, the atmosphere was particularly festive, with various munchkins working through the morning…once they had finished breakfast, of course…to make the special arrangements ordered by the Mayor of Munchkinland. A podium had been erected in the city square…as had always been done when the Mayor needed to make one of his special proclamations…and munchkins were already gathering curiously, waiting to see what was going to be announced.

Most of the popular guilds were in the area, although they at least knew the proclamation would have a bearing on the Learning Guild at the very least. Members of the Lullaby League, Ojo the Lucky's Lollipop Guild, and others had heard rumors of the arrival of the insectoid Professor. Perhaps the rumored 'new educational authority' was to be him?

It was not until around lunchtime that another entourage had arrived. It was practically a procession of them, and all of them were traveling along the yellow brick road to get there. The distinct sounds made by the golden feet of the Sawhorse preceeded the appearance of the Red Wagon, which everyone knew was indicative of a visit by the Princess Ozma herself. Flanking the Red Wagon on both sides were members of the Legion of Courage, with the Cowardly Lion in front of the left flank, and his majordomo…the Hungry Tiger…leading the right.

In addition to the Princess Ozma, the Scarecrow also emerged from the Wagon's interior, as did Jellia Jamb, who was dressed in an outfit other than her maid uniform for once. Owing to her origins as one of the gillikins, the beautiful dress was a combination of purple and white fabrics.

A line of munchkin soldiers, led by Master General Commander Jinjur, formed ranks in front and in back of Ozma's party. The fairy princess looked around curiously for the presence of the tin carriage, but saw nothing resembling the amazing construct that had been built for the Emperor of the Winkies. The Emperor himself was noticeably absent as well.

Ojo also found it peculiar that Professor Wogglebug was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he would be late, he thought? And where was Glinda? He thought for sure that _she _would want to be made aware of whatever proclamation this was to be. She had made it a point to be present to several other proclamations. What was it about this one that made her want to miss it? Or perhaps she would just zap in at the last minute? He advised his fellow guildmates to be on the lookout for Glinda, and to report to him the moment she was spotted anywhere in the crowds.

One of the perpetually sweet members of the Lullaby League, however, confirmed to Ojo that Locasta was on her way, and that she was expected to arrive just as the Mayor would step to the podium. When she did arrive an hour later, she had Dorothy's Aunt Em and Uncle Henry walking behind her. The various friends they had made among the munchkins stepped over to them to exchange pleasantries. In the two years they had been in Oz, the both of them had taught many of the munchkin farmers techniques in the cultivation of their crops which helped their harvesting considerably.

As the afternoon hour approached, the proclamation area was a sea of living bodies and chattering voices. A special section was organized for any and all tutors and their students, with young Tula standing at the front row along with other young munchkins still being tutored by their Learning Guild representatives. Today was normally supposed to be a day of learning for them. Today, however, the special occasion meant that only half the day…the hours after lunchtime…would be spent continuing their education.

Emerging from the nearby headquarters of the Learning Guild was the AMA…the Advisor of Munchkinland Affairs, who also served as the city's coroner…and behind him was the Headmistress of the Learning Guild, Philomena H. Dee. Walking behind her, side by side, were the two Vice Headmistresses Magna and Summa Cumlaude. As they took their places on the left hand side of the decorated stage, the AMA stepped to the podium, and the crowds went quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and invited guests..." He began. He then gestured to the Learning Guild headquarters. "…I give you Boq, the ordained Mayor of Munchkinland."

Applause and cheers went up as the exceptionally dapper Mayor emerged from the doors of the headquarters and approached the stage area, stepping up to fill the space the AMA had left for him in front of the podium. He acknowledged the crowds by lifting his arms and pulling off his hat, bowing respectfully to them all with a flourish of his hat and a huge smile. Ozma noted that the Mayor looked exceptionally happy, and not just because of the improved weather.

Everyone knew that whenever the Mayor made one of his proclamations, he would do so lyrically, and they listened unto his words as he spoke…

_As Mayor of the Munchkin__City, in the county of the land of Oz,  
__I welcome you all most reeee-gally,  
__as today I must proclaim quite leee-gally  
__of a re-constitution of the learning institution  
__by a binding and governing official elocution!  
__People of Oz, I do henceforth declare  
__that while our Headmistresses standing over there  
__shall retain their leadership of the Learning Guild,  
__they shall answer to a brand new status most skilled  
__in efficient and orderly and clear administration  
__of the institution that is Munchkinland education!  
__And so, without further ado,  
__I do present unto you,  
__a face and a name steeped in our rolls of honor!  
__But alas, I must confess that as of late, I am much fonder,  
__for she made a sacrifice against an oath, and thus,  
__for the past two years, she has remained one of us!  
__Foresworn to education, by my word, she will not fail!  
__I give you your Ministress DOROTHY GALE!_

With a mighty flourish of Boq's arm, all eyes once again went to the headquarters entrance, and the newest Munchkinland Ministress of Educational Affairs stepped out with her head held high, and a contented smile upon her pudgy face as roars of approval resounded all over the area. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry were among those applauding appreciatively, and the Lion similarly added his applause…along with the rest of the Legion of Courage in attendance…to the cacophany of love and surprised reactions.

The Scarecrow saw that among the munchkins was Doctor Pipt and Margolotte, and behind them, Scraps was practically leaping around joyfully in her cheering. He shook his head amusedly.

Jinjur similarly offered her approval, although something about her expression seemed to indicate that there was more to the establishment of this new status than what was intended. For the moment, she joined Belay in the offer of applause.

She was dressed in a white blouse with leg o' mutton sleeves, and over this was a black, silver-lined felt vest. A florally-embroidered black skirt reached to the ground beneath her, and the clack of a pair of black boots could be heard as she moved. Her hair was back in the braided style she had when she was first enchanted into a munchkin appearance by Locasta two years ago, although this version looked fuller in volume.

Dorothy blushed deeply when she saw Philomena and her Vice Headmistresses give her a low curtsey as she approached them. She offered one in return to the three of them, and the Headmistress moved forward to hug the new Ministress. As she did, Dorothy heard her voice speak in her ear. "I look forward to working with you, Ministress. You have our full support in helping you to adjust to your ascension."

Boq also bowed low as Dorothy approached the podium. When her eyes fell upon the masses of crowds below, another whoop of appreciation ensued when she acknowledged them with a nod, and a sweet smile. She then turned to the Mayor. It was time to make her status official, and a verse was required to this effect.

_As Mi-ni-stress, I must confess  
__that your con-fi-dence in my success  
__compels me to aver with pride  
__and then, henceforth, I shall a-bide  
__as a Munchkinland Ministress that solemnly swears  
__to a lifetime's work in Educational Affairs!_

Another cry of approval roared forth, and now, everyone knew it was official. Dorothy Gale's life would be forever changed. The former Kansas girl had no regrets.

The AMA returned to the podium as Dorothy and Boq walked arm in arm back to the headquarters, with Philomena and the Vice Headmistresses following behind them. He then announced the commencement of an outdoor lunch session, which always followed Mayoral proclamations. The doors to the headquarters were jammed open so that various guests and townspeople and visitors could offer personal congratulations to the newly-anointed Ministress.

But while Ozma seemed intent on moving towards the headquarters to be among the first to offer her well-wishes, the Scarecrow stopped her. "Your highness…have you noted anything peculiar about this gathering?"

Ozma thought on this for a moment. "Well…it _is _strange that we haven't seen Emperor Nicholas at this gathering. I know he is usually among those on hand to bear witness to Boq's announcements. I can kind of understand why Glinda isn't here. After all…it is my magic holding Dorothy to that form, and she was never completely at peace with my doing that. I believe we all agreed that the Wizard should be kept with Glinda so that he doesn't find out what happened to Dorothy since last he saw her, yes?"

"Oh, yes. I do remember all that…but there's one other peculiarity." The Scarecrow observed. "Professor Wogglebug. Our newest visitor from abroad. _He's not here._"

"Wha…_oh, _yes." Her eyes widened. "Are you _sure _he didn't show up? That he didn't somehow get lost in all these crowds?"

"He would have been up there on the stage, standing with the Headmistresses if he were here, don't you think? Given his being so thoroughly educated?" The Scarecrow noted. "I think, once we offer our well-wishes to Dorothy, we need to go back to the Emerald City and consult the Magic Picture."

After a moment of thought, Ozma nodded in agreement. "We can find out what's happening with the Emperor as well." She remarked, gesturing to her straw-stuffed advisor to follow. "Let's go see Dorothy then."

* * *

As Betsy's eyes began to flutter open, they opened wide with the realization that it was morning. She still felt a bit stuffed from the previous evening's meal, and she rose up quickly, looking down at herself and her hands.

Much to the Oklahoma girl's relief, she was still herself. She still _looked _like herself, too.

But she worried that this could be the last time she looked normal.

Hearing birds tweeting their morning melodies gave Betsy the indication that it was indeed morning, and so she slipped out of her bed to stretch out her limbs. As she did not hear any activity upon emerging from the bed, she wondered if she had gotten up earlier than Woot and Mrs. Yoop had. Depending on how early, she could perhaps try and ascend the wide stairs and try to find the apron Woot had mentioned last night. The item that was apparently her only means of escaping the castle.

As she started moving towards the open entrance to the sitting room, however, she heard the creak of heavy footsteps which were logically getting closer, and she stood waiting for Mrs. Yoop to fill the entrance space.

The giantess first glanced to the food table she had created. She then arched an eyebrow, and looked down at Betsy. Cradled in her arms was Woot, who was still sleeping soundly.

"I imagine you slept well, little one?" Mrs. Yoop mused. "Because judging by the slight bulge of your gut, it seems you've eaten well, too."

Betsy nodded. "I feel a lil' stuff'd, but I'm fine." She frowned upon spotting Woot in the large woman's arms. "Woot's still sleepin'?"

"Because he had trouble sleeping. He was probably worried about what I am going to do with you." The giantess replied, placing him on the cushions of the divan. "I want my pet to sleep as long as he wishes to, so I will not be waking him up. In the meantime, I think I will put you to some use."

Mrs. Yoop then brought a finger up towards Betsy, and the girl's blood ran cold as she squinted her eyes shut in fear of what was about to happen to her…

…but it was not her body that was feeling any different. The clothes she was wearing, on the other hand, seemed to shift and shorten in places, and lengthen in others. Opening her eyes in confusion, she looked down at herself…and her eyes widened.

The yellow clothes Betsy was wearing had been turned into a purple and white maid's outfit. She had no maid's cap on her head, but Betsy was otherwise fully dressed in the clean uniform that had apparently been fashioned from the fabric of the yellow dress. Even the fabrics had been completely transformed.

She certainly had an idea as to what was expected of a typical household maid.

And she didn't like it one bit. This reflected in the angry frown Betsy had on her face when she looked back up at Mrs. Yoop. Her hands clenched into tight fists.

But the giantess raised her palm out towards the smaller human girl. "Now, now…that is no way for a servant to behave. I need you to be as contented as you can be when you serve me."

A blissful feeling washed over Betsy's senses in that moment, and her frown melted to become a pleasantly meek expression as her hands opened up and her shoulders slightly sank. Her knees bent slightly as her head craned up to stare upon Mrs. Yoop's eyes contentedly.

The giantess smiled in her satisfaction, lowering her hand. "That's better. Now…" She then pointed her finger towards the water basin she had created, warping its shape until it was a bucket that Betsy could carry. "I am going to go and open the door to the castle's courtyard. You will stay here and wait for me…and when I do return, you will assume the posture of a proper servant, lowering yourself to your knees and lowering your head, seeing as you are, and always will be, beneath me in status."

Mrs. Yoop then stepped away from the sitting room, leaving Betsy to practically stagger about over the lingering, magically-generated sensations running all over her body. She felt completely content and entirely blissed, twirling around and gazing down appreciatively at her outfit, finding its vibrant purple color amazing to see. She let out a giggle, despite herself, as she waited for Mrs. Yoop to return.

When she heard the footsteps approach once more, she lowered to her knees and brought her head down along with the rest of her torso, bowing deeply.

Mrs. Yoop nodded appreciatively, seeing Betsy's posture. "Very good, very good. I have opened the doors to the Courtyard, servant. You will go in and begin collecting any rocks and any sticks and twigs and any other hard objects you can find in there. You will collect them in this bucket and then return to me when it is full. Understood?"

"Mmmm…yes, Mrs. Yoop." Taking the bucket with her, she stepped out of the sitting room with less slothful steps. Although the blissful hold was still evident, it was weakening steadily. Betsy was at least able to walk without staggering from the intensity of the blissful surge the giantess had initially generated, although she still had a contented smile on her face as she left.

Woot's blurred vision, as he finally opened his simian eyes, was able to catch sight of a purple-dressed person leaving the sitting room, and he now noticed that they were back in the room they had left Betsy to sleep in. Mrs. Yoop was watching this purple-clad person…who had to be Betsy…step out as his vision sharpened, and he began to move from his relaxed posture.

Mrs. Yoop, smiling, glanced to the green monkey as he rose to his monkey feet. "Don't worry…I haven't done anything to her yet. I just…gave her something new to wear. For all she ate last night, though, I am quite tempted to turn her into an adorable pink pig."

This particularly roused Woot from his sleep, and he sat right up. "No…please don't. Mrs. Yoop…before you do anything at all, I have something to tell you about why she and I came here."

The giantess arched an eyebrow. "Did you not say it was to shelter yourselves from the rain? I should remind you that you barged in uninvited."

"I know, but we…we need your help." Woot explained. "A friend of ours…he's from the Winkie Country. He's their Emperor, too, and he's made of tin. We went with him to try and find someone, but…his tin carriage crashed and he was impaled on a tree branch. I think he's still out there now, rusted solid in a forest near Loonville. Please…can you help us free him?"

Mrs. Yoop thought on this. She had heard of the rise of the uncommonly kind Emperor of the winkies. It played to her advantage that he could be rusted solid, otherwise she would need to turn him into another pet…perhaps an owl…and take him back with her.

But Mrs. Yoop knew that there was one aspect to this bargain Woot was suggesting that had yet to be established.

"And…how do _I _benefit from this bargain, my little pet?" The giantess asked.

Woot had already made up his mind. He was entirely willing to make this sacrifice for Betsy's sake. There wasn't so much as a twinge of regret as he spoke, and largely because he and Mrs. Yoop had one thing in common: they both wanted companionship. Even if it meant that Woot needed to remain a green monkey for the rest of his life.

"You'll get _me._ I will stay with you willingly." Woot replied. "No protests, no complaints, no misbehavior. I will be your green monkey for as long as you want me to stay with you."

After a moment of comprehending Woot's words, she began to giggle in her amusement. "You seem to think you have a choice as to whether or not you stay here with me in this castle, pet."

"I think I could cause you a lot of trouble otherwise." Woot countered. "I could be a very unpleasant pet. I could make a terrible mess of things in here."

Mrs. Yoop smirked. "And all I would do is raise my hand to ensure that you remain well-behaved."

"So you prefer having a mindless slave, rather than someone who is _willing_ to stay and keep you company?" Woot asked. "Someone you won't have to worry about using your magic with just to ensure good behavior? Besides…if you helped the Emperor, he could speak in your favor if you ever got in trouble."

Mrs. Yoop tilted her head in her consideration. "Would _you?_"

"If you help us free the Emperor." Woot replied. "And if you let Betsy go."

"Oh-_ho! _First, you want me to release the tin-plated Emperor." Mrs. Yoop's hands went to her waist. "Now you want me to free the little girl? She would make a fine maid, you know. She could serve us both."

Woot let out a distressed sigh. "I wish you wouldn't do that, Mrs. Yoop. Besides…I could help you around the castle myself, if you'd let me. It's…been a long time since I had done chores around a house, and…well, maybe being a monkey can help me get around better than I would as a human."

By virtue of the look in his simian eyes, he sounded quite sincere. Her initial distrust of the former boy's words gave way to a curiosity for his reasoning behind the sacrifice he was proposing.

Mrs. Yoop bent to a knee, gazing down at Woot thoughtfully. "Why would you do this, Woot?"

"Because I think we need each other, Mrs. Yoop." The green monkey responded. "I have no family, and you want company around your castle. I wasn't there when my parents were…were killed…by the Wicked Witch of the East…" He had to swallow back a lump, and compose himself before continuing. "…and if I'm always wandering around on my own, it reminds me of my not being there. If I stay with you, I…I think we can learn to enjoy each other's company, as if you had a son."

The giantess frowned at this thought. "But…I never called you a son, and I have no interest in having any sons or daughters. You're my pet, little monkey."

"Couldn't you call me Woot sometimes, though?" the green monkey thoughtfully suggested. "Even pets have names, don't they? You said it yourself. Woot is a cute name for a monkey, and…well, I agree."

Mrs. Yoop tilted her head in confusion. This was a surprising resolve she was being confronted with. "You really are serious, aren't you? You _want_ to be my pet? _A__nd _my servant?"

Woot shrugged, smiling a little. "I won't mind. Besides…this castle is really big. Big enough for me to wander around in, if you didn't need me."

The giantess smirked. "So that you can be a better guard monkey, I suppose."

Woot lowered his head. "I'm sorry about that, Mrs. Yoop."

Mrs. Yoop brought a large finger underneath Woot's furry chin, lifting it up. "I feel your words are worth a great deal of thought, Woot. I am glad you shared them with me."

They both heard light footsteps approaching the sitting room, and Woot gasped in shock as he saw what Betsy was wearing, and the unusually contented expression she had on her face. She was hefting the bucket she had been given, which was now filled with all manner of whatever sizes of rocks, pebbles, sticks, twigs, and other such odds and ends from the castle's courtyard. She moved into the sitting room and placed it near the bed. Betsy then stepped towards Mrs. Yoop and dropped to her knees, looking up submissively at the giantess.

Mrs. Yoop sighed. "Relax, pet. I did this to you too. You should know the effect does not last. Give her a few minutes."

The giantess then idly settled herself back on the divan, caressing Woot's fur as they waited for the effect of Mrs. Yoop's magic effect to wear off of Betsy. Eventually, she began to shake her head, coming out of her blissed state. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and rose to her feet, stepping up to Woot and the giantess with a concerned look on her face. Her eyes were on the green monkey.

But it was Mrs. Yoop who spoke. "I have made my decision, young girl."

Betsy frowned. "I don't wanna be your maid. I'd rath'r be anoth'r pet, like Woot."

Mrs. Yoop arched an eyebrow. "Oh, _do _you? We were just talking about the kind of pet I would want you to be. Seeing as how you stuffed yourself on all that food, I figured a cute pink pig girl would be amusing to have around the castle."

Betsy closed her eyes fearfully, swallowing audibly in her growing sense of dread.

But the giantess continued speaking. "If you wished to remain in my castle, Betsy, you _will _become this. Floppy ears, a porcine snout, a cute little curly tail, and a big, round belly. Your skin would be a bright pink color, too." She then brought her large head forward in emphasis of her next, and more ominous question. "Is this what you want, Betsy?"

The Oklahoma girl shook her head, despite the apparent futility of her response. "No, Mrs. Yoop."

The giantess smiled. "I didn't think so."

She then leveled her finger at Betsy once more, and the girl once again squinted her eyes shut, expecting to begin snorting through an upturned snout in the very next moment.

But again, it was her clothes that were being changed. When Betsy opened her eyes, she saw that the maid outfit had become the yellow dress she had come into the castle with. Unlike its condition when she came into the castle, however, the dress looked good as new, and even had a fresh clean smell.

Betsy's eyes boggled in disbelief, and the giantess couldn't help but giggle. Woot was smiling, as well. It seemed that his words were able to thaw the Yookoohoo's heart a little bit.

"Before we free your tin-plated friend, you should know that Woot has decided to remain with me." Mrs. Yoop then added.

Betsy's relieved expression noticeably changed. "Is…that what he wants?"

Woot nodded. "Yes, Betsy."

"But…_why?_"

The giantess turned her head to Woot, running a hand gently over his headfur. "Because we need each other. Although I think of him as a pet now, I…have a feeling I could grow to love him…like a son." She turned her head back to Betsy. "Don't worry, dear girl. Our feelings for each other are genuine, even if I do tend to get a little vain every now and then, like I did with you when I had you serve me. I hope you'll forgive me for that. After all…I _am_ a Yookoohoo. Personal vanity is a weakness of ours."

Although Betsy didn't know much about what a 'yookoohoo' was, she had a sense for what the giantess was getting at, and she nodded in understanding.

She had a sad expression on her face, however, as Woot jumped down and stepped over to Betsy. He then wrapped her furry arms around the girl's body. Betsy reciprocated, wrapping her own human arms around Woot, rubbing tenderly at the soft green pelt he now had.

"I'll miss you." Betsy quietly admitted.

"I…hope I see you again sometime." Woot remarked. He then pulled away, his simian hands on Betsy's shoulders. "If the Emperor asks about me, just let him know I…I found someone who needs me. Don't say anything about what I've become, OK?"

Hesitantly, Betsy nodded. "Okay."

After one more long hug, Mrs. Yoop rose from the divan and stepped out of the sitting room. "Follow me, Betsy."

The Oklahoma girl shared one last goodbye wave before she turned away from the green monkey and hurried over to follow behind the yookoohoo giantess. Once they were beyond the doors of her castle, Mrs. Yoop picked Betsy up and cradled her as she did with Woot.

As a giantess, she was able to take long strides as Betsy directed her to where she had left Nick. As it was still the morning hours, there was not a lot of pedestrian traffic to bear witness to the giantess making her way through the Gillikin Country towards an area close to the border that separated the country from the territory of the winkies.

Before they sighted the wreckage of the tin carriage, Mrs. Yoop looked to Betsy as she walked. "I'm going to hold you to what Woot asked of you, Betsy. If I find you have broken your word to him, I _will _find you, and you're going to spend the rest of your life bound to the interiors of my castle in the form of a pink pig girl."

Betsy nodded. "I won't break my word. I promise."

Placing Betsy back on the ground, Mrs. Yoop positioned herself in front of the lingering tin emperor, who was indeed rusted solid and completely frozen, and firmly gripped at his torso. With a bit of effort, the giantess pulled the impaled monarch off of the branch completely, and gently placed him down beside Betsy.

She patted around her dress, however, realizing that she no longer had the oilcan on her person. Betsy turned to Mrs. Yoop…

…but she saw that the yookoohoo was already heading in the other direction, retracing her steps towards the castle, which was now hours away from where Mrs. Yoop had left the Oklahoma girl.

Sighing in her distress, she looked around the area…and then spotted a seemingly untouched oilcan lying near a pile of nearby rocks. She knew the can was different in design compared to the one she had taken from Nick's chest compartment.

Betsy smiled, realizing that it was more or less the yookoohoo's parting gift, and moved to pick it up and begin oiling Nick Chopper's joints. She saved his jaws for last.

"Ahhh…feels good to move and talk again…oh, dear me." Nick spotted the area where he had been impaled. "I'm obviously gonna need a _serious _repair job when I get back to the tin palace." He then looked in the direction of where the giantess had gone. "It was a good thing you found someone large enough to help me. We're obviously outside of the patrol routes of the Rainbow Dragoons. It would have been whole days before we had any hope of being found."

He then looked to Betsy, who had a somewhat troubled look on her face. "Betsy? Are you OK? What happened to Woot?"

It was more for the fact that she was honoring a promise than it was for any notion of being affected by Mrs. Yoop's ominous warning when she spoke. "That giant woman…well…she was lonely. Woot decided t' stay with her."

Nick smiled at this. "Wow…this must have been her way of showing her gratitude! I sure hope we see him again someday."

Betsy nodded, turning her head away so she could hide her effort to hold back her sorrow. "I hope so too."

* * *

Ozma and the Scarecrow stared at the picture in disbelief, seeing Betsy get under Nick Chopper's good arm to help him move. They saw the hole in his chest as well, and much of his body looked rusted save for the joints, which looked moist with oil.

"What in the world _happened _to him?" Ozma remarked. "And…why are they out there?"

They watched the pair continue to move until they came upon a gillikin man chopping wood. From the soundless images that continued to roll before them, they saw that the man was more than just a woodcutter. He was also a craftsman, and he was able to use some of his wood to fashion a sturdy crutch for Nick to use. He was even able to fix the joints on Nick's bad arm…which was bent out of shape…to the point where he could generally use it.

A knock at the door of Ozma's boudoir followed, and the fairy princess turned her head towards it. "Yes?"

Jellia Jamb was heard on the other side of the door. "The new Munchkinland Ministress of Educational Affairs is with me, your highness. She would like to speak with you."

Ozma and the Scarecrow rose from their seats in front of the Magic Picture and moved to the door to open it. Standing below Jellia Jamb was Dorothy, but she was holding a large pumpkin in her pudgy hands. The size of the pumpkin obscured all but her arms and hands, and her legs and feet, from view. She was also back in the blue and white outfit she enjoyed wearing.

"I'd bow, your majesty…but…well…this is kinda big…" Dorothy's voice was heard saying.

Giggling, Jellia picked the very healthy-looking pumpkin up and brought it into the boudoir, freeing up Dorothy to curtsey deeply in respect to the ruler of Oz. She was panting in exhaustion, no doubt from her insistence to carry the pumpkin over to the boudoir.

"You're always challenging yourself, Dorothy. Please…come right in, my dear. Relax yourself." Ozma chimed as the round-bodied munchkin stepped inside, heaving an exhausted sigh as she moved. "Why the pumpkin, by the way?"

"Well…during the luncheon that followed the proclamation, a gillikin gave me that pumpkin and wished me luck in my duties." Dorothy explained, maneuvering her short, round body onto one of the boudoir's comfortable velvet chairs. "I accepted it, of course, but…well, I don't suppose you could tell me if it was, you know, enchanted."

The Scarecrow frowned, but then it hit him. "You think this was tainted by Mombi, eh?"

"The woman looked nice enough. Said it was the best pumpkin from her last harvest." Dorothy continued. "But…well, anything that comes from the gillikins that's edible, I tend to get nervous about."

"It's understandable, under the circumstances." Jellia observed as Ozma slowly passed the head of her golden wand over the pumpkin. There was no reaction.

Ozma smiled, shaking her head. "Nothing bad about it. No poisons, no potions, no enchantments. Looks like this pumpkin is a perfectly healthy specimen." She gazed at it thoughtfully now.

"Well! That's a relief." The Scarecrow noted. "You should be able to get a couple of pumpkin pies out of _this _one, eh, Dorothy?"

"I have my own pumpkins, actually." Dorothy replied. "I'll probably save this for Halloween, or something."

Ozma quickly turned her head to the munchkin Ministress. "May I have it, then? I mean, if you're not gonna do anything with it."

Dorothy nodded, smiling. "It's as good as yours, then, your highness."

The fairy princess ran her hands over the pumpkin in her appraisal. "Yes…this will be perfect."

Jellia frowned confusedly. "Perfect? For what?"

The straw-stuffed advisor looked to the head maid and smiled, knowing exactly what Ozma was referring to. "It's a long story, Jellia."

The princess was able to break out of her fond memories to turn her head to Dorothy. "I'm sorry, dear…you wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes." Dorothy confirmed. "Alone, if that's all right."

The Scarecrow put an arm around Jellia and quickly led her to the boudoir entrance. "So, about that long story…it's quite charming, but this is hardly the place I'd wanna share it in…"

Ozma and Dorothy smiled amusedly as Jellia shut the door behind her. The fairy princess then turned to the munchkin, rubbing a slender hand affectionately along her pudgy cheek. "How can I help you, Ministress?"

"Well…I hadn't really thought about it, being so busy with Tula and my tutoring work, not to mention being aware of the magic that stopped the natural aging process…" Dorothy began. "…but, would you be able to tell me how _old _I am as a munchkin? I mean…is there a way I can find out?"

Ozma tilted her head curiously. "Munchkin physiology is not a part of your curriculum?"

"Well…yes, it is, but…as you know, it was your magic that made me this way when I agreed to tutor Tula, so I guess I'm kind of a special case." Dorothy reasoned. "I never thought to ask if I had gotten any older, or younger, when I was changed."

Ozma nodded in understanding. "Well…as I remember it, all I did was recall the munchkin alteration Locasta had applied to you. It was tricky, too. I had to work around the personality alteration so you would still be you. As Locasta explained it to me, I would say that you are a munchkin of around the same age you were before she had enchanted you through her tea and biscuits, although I would not be surprised if you were made about a year or two older through my recall. Why do you ask, Dorothy?"

"Well…" she lowered her head, visibly blushing. "…it's kind of…complicated."

The fairy princess smiled, arching an eyebrow. "Boq?"

The munchkin tutor glanced up to Ozma, and then nodded. "Yes."

Ozma pulled another chair over, and settled herself into it as she spoke. "Well…I think you should know that in recent months, Boq has indeed been asking me about you whenever he and I saw each other. As you might expect, he's grown very fond of you over the past two years. More than once, however, I have had to remind him how young you are compared to him. Even among munchkins, an older man having a dalliance with a younger woman can be considered scandalous for a city official, but in his distress over this fact, he insists that you share many qualities he held dear with his deceased wife."

Dorothy nodded. "Scarecrow told me about Maud."

"He _has _been trying to behave himself, though. Otherwise, he would have been visiting you _every single day_." Ozma noted. "Such was the way in which Boq courted Maud. Not that he isn't a charming man, he very much is. I'm sure you've been a party to such overtures yourself, yes?"

Dorothy again nodded, smiling. "He really is very sweet. I mean…his idiosyncrasies just seem to add to his charm. I…I really do like him. Even though I'm younger than him. But even in the two years I've been living as a munchkin, I still have trouble thinking of them as being any older than I am. In some cases, it's easy. I've seen munchkins with gray hair and wrinkles. With people like Boq, though, it's…well, difficult. Even with that cute little moustache of his."

Ozma thought on Dorothy's words before sharing her next line of inquiry. "Do you feel that it's possible for you to be able to live with him for the rest of your life, if you could? Do you think you could return his affections, if you were as old as he is now?"

Dorothy frowned in confusion. "Are you suggesting…"

"No, Dorothy. I'm asking you a question. One I really need you to think about before you answer." Ozma quickly interjected. "Do you think you could spend the rest of your life with the Mayor of Munchkinland? As his wife?"

Dorothy swallowed hard upon hearing this question. A long moment of silence followed.

"Take your time." Ozma assured, looking very patient, but keeping her eyes on the munchkin.

It seemed as if she were analyzing it all as the round-bodied munchkin spoke. "I…I realize that…he's been very nice to me, even as he has been doing his job as the Mayor…and, well, I have a job now that should hold just as much responsibility. The kind of responsibility that we could help each other with, seeing as how education is so important to a person's upbringing, and the needs of Munchkinland should always be addressed. I could help him there, you know…I've learned a lot about munchkin society in the past two years."

"Indeed." The smiling fairy princess seemed to go with Dorothy's thinking as the former human spoke. "I can sense your eagerness to take on the challenges to come!"

"But…well, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?" Dorothy noted, blushing. "For the Mayor to be such a nice and…responsible man…who really does care not only for me, but for his people, as I certainly would if I were in his shoes…" Another moment of thoughtful silence followed, after which the munchkin Ministress lifted her head to look right into the eyes of the fairy princess. "…if I were older, and he proposed marriage to me…my answer would be yes, your highness."

Ozma nodded at this, still smiling.

"To be a Mayor's wife, and a munchkin, is…certainly preferable to being famous for things I didn't mean to do." Dorothy then added. "I would honestly prefer a married life, and munchkin life, to being a killer of witches, your highness. It still bothers me when I'm reminded of it, no matter how wicked they were. I mean…I know there are munchkins who still think I was some kind of witch to have dropped that house on the Witch of the East, and there are winkies _and _munchkins who believe that the death of her sister was a deliberate attack. Your highness…I was trying to put out a fire on the Scarecrow's arm." Dorothy struggled to hold back tears. "I was trying to _save a life_."

Ozma quickly moved up to Dorothy, placing a slender hand on the munchkin's shoulder in her consolation. "I know, Dorothy. I know. So do your friends. Emperor Nicholas, the Lion, the Scarecrow, Jellia, even Jinjur. No one who knows you best thinks you're a killer. You can't let anyone have you believe otherwise, my dear munchkin. Besides…I would be very quick to remind people that it was the Wicked Witch of the West who conjured the fire you extinguished. She was more of an aggressor than you were, Dorothy."

Dorothy nodded, sighing gently, and smiling a bit. "I guess, as it is, I'm content to just live this new life of mine. Take it as far as it can go and, well, be on my own. I don't want to get Boq in any trouble. I mean…even if I can't marry him, I can still love him as much as the other munchkins do, can't I?"

Ozma nodded thoughtfully, but then pulled the munchkin to her feet. "Walk with me, Dorothy."

The fairy princess led Dorothy over to the Magic Picture, where she gently asked the enchanted radium frame to reveal a location the munchkin did not recognize, but looked entirely beautiful in its sense of natural tranquility. Surrounded by green foliage, a circular lake of misty blue water rippled gently against the calm winds blowing across it. The area was surrounded by a forest of very healthy trees, and the image very slowly circled around this lake.

"This is a small body of water in the faraway forest of Burzee. It is called the Wellspring of Ages." Ozma revealed, gesturing reverently to the image. "Most living things avoid this lake for what it does to any who either touch it, or drink from it. It is a very powerful, and a very well-protected area. Risky to the very young, fatal to the old. Unless, of course, it is used responsibly."

The fairy princess then restored the picture's neutral image and led Dorothy over to a portion of the boudoir where a normal-looking set of drawers sat. Passing her hand slowly over the drawers, Dorothy heard a series of clicks. After the fifth click, Ozma grasped two of the drawer knobs and pulled them to the sides, revealing a series of vials, each of which had a glowing liquid inside it. One of them had a misty blue liquid within it which was the exact same color of the waters of the Wellspring of Ages. From a small drawer below the opened area, Ozma produced a smaller, empty glass vial attached to a silver chain. Carefully opening this smaller vial, Ozma then opened the larger vial containing the Wellspring liquid, and very carefully filled the smaller vial with three drops from the Wellspring vial. These three drops filled the smaller vial completely, and Ozma closed this smaller vial. The drawer sides were then pulled shut, and the apparent locks re-engaged with another slow wave of her hand.

Ozma then led Dorothy back over to the boudoir's sitting room, holding the chain of the vial necklace in one hand with a tight grip. Closing the door to the sitting room, they once again took their seats. Ozma then leaned in to speak with the curious munchkin tutor in a slightly more hushed tone. "Now you are aware that no one can grow old in Oz, nor can they die, or suffer from the natural diseases of the outside world. Aging, in these lands, is purely voluntary. If you have a conscious or subconscious desire to grow older, your body will respond on the next occurrence of your birthday…but if one touches or drinks from the Wellspring of Ages, the aging process increases dramatically for as long as you are within its waters. As you might imagine, I would not recommend jumping into its waters for a swim."

She then held the vial up for Dorothy to see. "I always want you to be happy here in Oz, Dorothy, so I am leaving this decision entirely up to you. If you empty the contents of this vial onto your tongue before going to sleep for the evening, you will awaken in the morning, and find that your body has matured to the point where your age will no longer be an issue when it comes to the prospect of becoming Boq's wife."

Dorothy blinked, gazing upon the small vial, the necklace chain of which Ozma settled around the munchkin tutor's head. Not wanting the presence of this unexpected benefit to attract attention, Dorothy hid the vial beneath her dress, allowing it to settle against the skin of her chest.

The round-bodied munchkin thought on this benefit, coming up with only a single concern. "But…won't the other munchkins get suspicious? I mean, to see that I've grown older so soon…"

Ozma giggled sweetly at this. "Remember…you're a resident of the land of Oz. A land where magic is still strong, contrary to anywhere else outside of the nonestic lands. This would not be the first time someone in Oz has radically aged within a day. In fact, I would think that people would see your willingness to make Boq happy as a good thing. People will certainly notice that you're older, too, since the development of a munchkin female's body is not much different from that of a human."

Dorothy nodded, her eyes drifting to the ground thoughtfully. "This is obviously going to be a really big decision. I can't make it lightly. I mean…I really would have to leave my youth behind me."

"Don't feel too nervous. It's not like you're going to become all wrinkled and gray-haired if you decide to use the vial." Ozma reasoned, smiling. "I imagine you won't look much different from any other attractive female munchkin adult, although you might want to start wearing bras for the way your chest might develop."

"Still…I can't jump into this." Dorothy countered. "I really need to think on it a little more. I mean…he hasn't even proposed. He may _never _propose."

Ozma nodded. "As I said, the choice is yours…although I should, in fairness, tell you that if what the Scarecrow once told me is true, you may not be the only person in Munchkinland who is a suitable match for Boq."

Dorothy frowned curiously at this. She was tempted to come right out and ask, but she refrained from such a rudely direct inquiry. "Do I…_know_ this person, at least?"

Ozma nodded. "Perhaps you can ask him about it sometime soon." She then glanced to the pumpkin Dorothy had brought, wanting to deflect the subject before getting any further questions from the curious Ministress. "I wonder if I might ask a favor of you, my dear munchkin?"

Dorothy eagerly slipped off of her chair. "Anything, your highness."

"One of the shops in the city is a place called Woodworth's, which should be about three blocks away from the Wash &amp; Brush Up Company." Ozma explained. She then had Dorothy follow her to a desk, where she passed the head of the wand she had placed against it over a blank piece of parchment, generating a series of writings indicating sized items. She then folded the parchment and handed it to the her munchkin guest. "Give this to Mr. Woodworth, and wait for him to make what I'm asking for. Then come back with the items."

Dorothy nodded, smiling. "Of course, your majesty. I'll get out there right away." She then hurried to open the sitting room door, but stopped just as she reached for the knob. The munchkin then turned to Ozma, and stepped back up to her with a pleasant expression. "Thank you, your highness. I really appreciate your generosity, and your understanding of my situation."

Ozma beamed at this, and stepped back over to Dorothy. She then pressed her lips, affectionately, against her forehead. "Anytime, Ministress." She then gestured to the door. "Off you go, now. You're a hard-working munchkin, after all."

Dorothy beamed now. "I sure am!" She curtseyed respectfully, and then hurried out of the sitting room, running back downstairs once she was out of the boudoir. Within moments, she was outside of the Royal Palace, commencing her search for Woodworth's.

Ozma smiled affectionately, watching her progress using the Magic Picture.


	7. VII: The Curse of the Hip-po-gy-raf

**VII: Captain Fyter and the Curse of the Hip-po-gy-raf**

Betsy and Nick stared at the wreckage of the tin carriage. Much of its front section had crushed into the large tree it crashed into, and as the vehicle was mostly made of tin, it was all rusted.

Curious loons bounced over to look as well, keeping a distance from the tin man and the human girl.

"Looks like we've got a long walk ahead of us, Betsy." Nick lamented. "Unless we can somehow get this repaired, and oiled up."

"Did y' wanna go back to th' tin palace, your highness?" Betsy asked.

Nick shook his head. "Not until I've found Nimmie."

"Me too." Betsy firmly noted. "I'm stayin' with you. I wanna help you find her."

Nick smiled at the sound of her conviction. He then looked around the general area, finally noticing the loons.

Remembering what she had asked Woot to do, Betsy looked to Nick curiously. "Do y' know 'bout them?"

Much to Betsy's surprise, Nick shook his head. "I've never seen creatures like these."

"Woot told me they used t' be people, your highness." Betsy explained. "They were turn'd into those things by the Wicked Witch of th' West. He told me they were call'd 'loons'."

Nick's expression went from curiosity to shock. His head then turned to look upon the rubber balls that had once been flesh-and-blood humans. "Dear me…" He whispered in disbelief. "…_this _is what happened to Jedediah Loon and his people…and _no one told me?_"

"Woot said they were conceited." Betsy noted. "No one really liked 'em much. I guess that's why no one said anythin'. D' you think there's somethin' we can do for 'em, your highness?"

"Well…there's nothing _we _can do, but I know for sure that Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, could break their curse." Nick replied. "But that really doesn't excuse the fact that I was not told about this. I don't care _how _my people felt about the Loons. _I should have been told._ In all those two years of helping the winkies rebuild, it's inconsiderate of them to have kept me in the dark about this particular community."

"What're y' gonna do?" Betsy asked. "I mean…are y' gonna banish 'em all?"

Nick shook his head. "No…but when the Loons are all restored, I am having a route established so that the Rainbow Dragoons can ride by here during their patrol runs. We're gonna bring the Loons back among the winkies."

"What if they're still conceited, though? What if they still think they're bett'r than ev'ryone else aft'r you've had 'em changed back?" Betsy wondered aloud. "They wouldn't let us stay th' night in their village aft'r we crash'd, y' know. That's how Woot an' I wound up with that giantess. They took us there."

"Did they? Well, there's your own answer right there." Nick reasoned. "If they were conceited, and thought they were better than everyone else, then why would they go to the trouble of taking you both to a safe place? Someplace where you could at least be sheltered from yesterday's rains?" He gestured to one of the curious, nearby loons in emphasis as he spoke. "If they were humbled like _that_, then I would think they'd want to atone for being the way they were when they were human. Don't you think that's why they helped you and Woot yesterday?"

Betsy nodded in her understanding. "Yeah…I…I can…" Her attention was then diverted to wild metallic creaking and bending noises. Turning to the source, her eyes widened. "…what in the WORLD…?"

Nick's attention had also diverted to the sight of the remnants of the tin carriage suddenly twisting and bending, seemingly on its own, into a shape which very much resembled a christmas tree!

The tin emperor and the Oklahoma girl looked to each other in stunned disbelief, and then looked back at the twisted, mangled _thing _that used to be a magnificent tin vehicle. Even the nearby loons had to turn to each other and wonder what had just happened.

Who could possibly be able to do such a thing, Betsy thought?

* * *

"_Gaaah!_" Oscar's eyes boggled in complete disbelief upon the image of the tree-like shape the tin carriage had been twisted into in the large crystal ball, which Glinda had acquired when the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West was gutted in the wake of the green-skinned tyrant's death. "That looks _nothing _like the vehicle I wanted it to be!"

Even Glinda's eyes went wide as she saw Oscar's well-meaning attempt to cast a more powerful spell…a notion she very reluctantly allowed the old man to try…go horribly wrong. She then sighed. "I had a feeling this might happen. I'm afraid you're not ready for spells this powerful, Mr. Diggs…but you have at least mastered a great many cantrips thus far!"

"Cantrips can't fix _this, _though!" Oscar lamented aloud. "We can't leave them like that! Isn't there _something_ we could do?"

"Well…if I remember correctly, this was made by two individuals. The tinsmith Ku-Klip, and the wandering craftsman, Johnny Dooit." Glinda recollected. "Perhaps we can call upon one of them to undo this...regrettable accident."

"Glinda…this is _my _mess. I _insist _on being the one to ask for assistance!" Oscar demanded, stepping over to the crysal ball...

…but he then realized that he knew absolutely nothing of how to properly _use_ the crystal ball. "Er…with your help, of course, Glinda."

The red-robed Good Witch of the South giggled, and she then pulled her wand, passing it over the magical relic. Eventually, the image of Johnny Dooit went from a blur to a sharp focus. Apparently, he had been piloting what looked like a large boat through the sands of the Deadly Desert!

"Ho there! Hellooooo!" Oscar tried calling unto the crystal ball, wondering if communication was possible. Glinda had not said anything to the contrary, after all, and Johnny now seemed to be looking around curiously, as if his attention was distracted by a sound. On Oscar's second try, Johnny finally stopped the boat to listen to the disembodied voice's request.

Initially stubborn in his refusal, it was not until Oscar mentioned the name _Betsy_ in his pleas for help that Johnny dramatically changed his tune, and turned the boat to head back to the land of Oz.

* * *

They could hardly believe their eyes.

The twisted mass of tin had been completely reshaped by the old man who had helped out Betsy once before. He only needed an hour and a half to transform the rusted wreckage of the vehicle…using his toolbox…into the fully-restored, fully-functional tin carriage.

But Johnny's expression, initially satisfied with his own amazing work, melted to one of concern as he looked to the tin emperor. "You won't be able to drive that thing. Not in the condition _you're _in, your majesty."

Nick nodded regretfully. "I know. I need two legs to be able to work the controls…but at least we have our tin carriage back."

Betsy's shoulders drooped…but she then looked to the structure of the carriage itself, and then back to the damaged tin emperor. Yes, she thought. Johnny Dooit could make it work.

"Johnny…" she began, getting the gruff, gray-haired old man's attention. "…do you think y' could use some o' this tin in th' front here t' make a new leg for Nick? Y' have an awful lot o' wheels here, aft'r all, an' I think jus' havin' four wheels in front would do us jus' fine."

Johnny looked to the carriage, and then to the area where Nick's leg had been. He then stepped closer to the damaged area, perhaps estimating how much tin he would need. He had already repaired the hole in Nick's torso, and the girl did have a valid point when she brought up the excess of wheels. He figured a couple of the horsehead-shaped wheel covers would have enough tin for Johnny to reshape into a functional limb, and one that matched Nick's only good leg, too.

After quietly nodding, he stepped over to the tin carriage and once again began to work his trade as Betsy and Nick watched. Within approximately fifteen minutes, the tin carriage now had a four-wheeled front section in addition to the two larger wheels at the rear, and the horsehead hoods Johnny extracted had become a functional, jointed tin leg and foot, which was subsequently attached and secured to the lower torso space of the tin emperor's body.

Testing the leg, Nick found that it worked _perfectly._ He was now a two-legged tin emperor again!

"There we go! Smaller, but _working_ tin carriage…" He gestured to the vehicle, and then to Nick. "…and a working tin emperor. Looks like you're all set, Betsy!"

"We really appreciate your help, Johnny." Nick smiled as he placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. "We would have needed to try and find the Rainbow Dragoons otherwise. Thank you so m…"

Betsy had suddenly wrapped her arms around Johnny, holding him tightly. "Whoa! Hey…what's…" He then started hearing the girl sniffle. Her breathing was shaky. "…dear me, Betsy…why are you crying?"

"P…please, Johnny…" He heard her say as she held him to her. "…jus'…let me hold you for a lil' bit…"

She couldn't help it. The last time she was with Johnny Dooit, she saw how much he resembled a family member who had died. Someone she loved very much. To see this old man again, this amazing craftsman who had helped her once before, brought those feelings up again. Particularly in his willingness to help without thought of compensation. Memories of this particular family member surged as Johnny worked, and she was entirely overcome with emotion.

Johnny held her for a long moment as Nick watched. The tin emperor stepped over and placed a tin-plated hand upon Betsy's shoulder, squeezing it sympathetically. Nearly an hour went by before Betsy finally loosened her grip on the old man and stepped away, wiping away tears.

"I'm sorry…" Betsy whispered. "…y…you remind me of…of someone I…I lov'd very much…I miss…I…" She lapsed back into a sob, and Johnny held her once again in a sympathetic embrace. "…I miss you, daddy…"

A tear rolled down Johnny's face now. Nick similarly wiped a tear from his own tin-plated face.

Fifteen emotional minutes later, Betsy finally pulled away, once again wiping tears from her eyes as she looked to the master craftsman. "We…we have t' go…I hope I…I can see you again…"

Johnny stepped in to plant a kiss on the girl's forehead. "I don't see why not, Betsy." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Maybe next time, I'll come looking for _you._"

Betsy smiled, sniffling as a fresh flow of tears emerged from her eyes. "I…I'd like that…" She then waved a hand. "…g'bye for now."

She then turned to face the tin carriage and stepped into the passenger area. After shaking Johnny's hand in gratitude, Nick boarded the repaired carriage and began working the controls. The smaller, but fully functional carriage came to life once again, and it rolled out onto the road as Betsy, who was still smiling, waved again to Johnny as they rolled into the distance.

Johnny watched the carriage go until it was a speck in the distance, a pleasant smile on his face. To be thought of as a father figure warmed his heart, even though he had never entertained the thought of actually being one, given all the jobs and the wandering and the work that defined his solitary existence.

Before diverting to other matters, he made a silent vow that this would not be the last time he would see Betsy Bobbin.

* * *

Dorothy stared at the small vial she had been given as she sat in her chair in her home. Toto had leaped into her lap and was napping as her other hand rubbed tenderly at his black fur.

She had thought of going to see Boq, but…it occurred to her that she should prepare the final examination Tula needed to take before she "graduated" from her tutelage. At the luncheon, arrangements had already been made for Jellia Jamb to take Tula back in as an Emerald City maid, as she had been when she initially tried to skip out on the tutelage her mother, Prudence, wanted her to go through. Prudence herself was a bundle of nerves at the luncheon, and she had driven Tula crazy over the munchkin woman's constant reminders to study and prepare.

Dorothy smiled at these thoughts as she placed the small vial back beneath her dress again. Her initial thought was to test Tula on Wednesday, but she ultimately decided to surprise her student by having everything ready for her to take on _tomorrow_.

Just as she entertained this thought, the familiar soft knock of the Scarecrow could be heard at her door. Toto had already leaped down from Dorothy's lap and was yapping excitedly, his tail wagging as the round-bodied munchkin rose to her feet.

"Come on in, Scarecrow." Dorothy called out, smiling.

The Scarecrow also smiled as he went to a knee and stepped forward with his arms extended to the sides. "Congratulations, Ministress!"

Giggling, Dorothy ran forward and wrapped her arms around the straw-stuffed advisor lovingly. "Ohh, thank you, Scarecrow!" They stayed wrapped tightly for another minute before she pulled away with an excited look in her pudgy face. "I just don't know where to begin with the kinds of things that could be expected of me…but I really feel like I'm doing something important!"

The Scarecrow nodded. He quirked an eyebrow, however, as he spoke. "Boq should be happy with that."

Dorothy blushed at this, smiling cutely. "He's always been happy with me these days." She continued to gaze at him for another few seconds, realizing there was more to that statement. "You came here to talk about him, didn't you?"

The Scarecrow chuckled at this. "Just as perceptive a brain as mine, as always." Rising up from the ground, he stepped over to pull a chair up as Dorothy settled back into her own comfy seat. "Ozma mentioned something about 'giving you a solution'?"

Dorothy then pulled out the vial and lifted it up for the Scarecrow to see. He briefly got out of his chair to get a close look at the small glass container. "Three drops from the Wellspring of Ages in the forest of Burzee. I drink this, I can be just as old as Boq. My being too young would no longer be an issue."

The Scarecrow nodded as he settled back down in the chair. "It's still full, so I guess you're still thinking about it. That's a smart move, Dorothy."

"Well, I figure I'd sort of let Boq himself decide." Dorothy reasoned. "Honestly…he's a sweet man, and I feel really bad for the fact that he lost his wife to the witch. All that doting on me, and it never felt like he was smothering me. If I wanted my space, he gave it, all those offers to ride with him…I couldn't say no, and he's always been on his very best behavior. Never disrespectful in any way, nor did he show any kind of cheek towards me."

"Which is a fairly dramatic change from his _first _attempt to find someone with the kind of personality he admires in a munchkin." The Scarecrow noted. "That attempt didn't end very well, either."

As the Scarecrow had finally brought it up, she had to come right out and ask. "Who was it, Scarecrow?"

The straw-stuffed monarch, however, wanted to test the munchkin's perceptiveness instead. "Is there anyone among the munchkins who might have talked to you about him lately?"

Dorothy tried thinking back to the events of the past couple of days, although her recent appointment to Ministress certainly made it difficult for her to recollect. "I think there was, actually. I just have to remember…but it's all been such a whirlwind of developments in my life. You'd think after all the meals at the luncheon, I'd be a bit more sharp in the ol' beanie." She rose up to head for the kitchen area of her house. "Maybe if I fix up just a bit of Meat Casser…"

She stopped in her tracks as the Scarecrow looked at his transformed friend from Kansas curiously. After a moment, she returned to her seat with wide eyes.

Those wide eyes then looked to the Scarecrow. "_Jinjur!_"

The Scarecrow's painted face smiled, and nodded. "The very same. Strong-willed, self-sufficient, and even with the capacity to be kind when she felt it was necessary. In fact, in the days before your house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, General Jinjur and Boq were beacons of perseverance through those dark times. Keeping everyone hoping that the hard times would pass. That we'd see an end to all the tyranny and death. Jinjur and Boq had talked over so many plans of action in the past, and when they thought those wouldn't work for whatever reasons, they'd step back and bring up another plan. You'd never think that they might be at odds with each other afterwards, but…Boq was so certain that he and Jinjur could have some kind of future together in the wake of the East Witch's death that, well, he kind of…overplayed his hand, so to speak. He wasn't too thrilled with Jinjur forming an army to take over the Emerald City, either, so I suppose that might have had something to do with his wanting to look past any further involvement with Jinjur as well, which is understandable."

"Oh, but Scarecrow…she saved my life. Even when she was under that spell Mombi had cast on her and her soldiers." Dorothy reminded. "Her mind was too strong."

The straw-stuffed advisor nodded. "Any notion of having them reconcile is all in the past now, I'm afraid. They both went their separate ways. There hasn't been a spark between them since…well, since _you _arrived."

Dorothy lowered her head somewhat ashamedly. "You'd think she'd have hated me for that."

"That's the irony, Dorothy." The Scarecrow remarked. "Both Boq and Jinjur have one thing in common. They both have the highest respect for you."

A thought then germinated in the mind of the Ministress with this reminder, and a smile slowly crept onto her face as she contemplated the possibilities. "Then I guess _I_ might have to be the one to remind them how they used to feel about each other."

The straw-stuffed advisor seemed a little surprised at this. "I might also remind you that Jinjur is fairly young hers…"

Dorothy pulled out the small vial, letting it swing below her hand, in response to this.

A smile slowly formed on the Scarecrow's burlap head as well. "Do I detect the possibility of a plan to that effect, Ministress Dorothy?"

"Ohh, yes, my straw-stuffed friend." She then rose to her feet and pulled the Scarecrow to his. "But…I have a more important matter to prepare for first, and I could really use your help. I've decided to surprise Tula with her final exam tomorrow. I want to be able to put together as tough an exam as I feel she has a chance of passing."

The Scarecrow gestured in the direction of the entrance to the space below the house. "After you, Ministress. Let's get right to work!"

* * *

As the tin carriage continued to roll along the roads in its journey to Munchkinland, Betsy had been talking to Nick about her father, as he was entirely curious as to what kind of person he was.

Nick liked everything he had heard. "Sounds like he was a wonderful man, Betsy. I can see that a lot of his good qualities rubbed off on you."

"There were things 'bout 'im that weren't so good," Betsy admitted. "but I always thought there was more good t' him than bad."

"And that's what's important, Betsy. Holding on to the good things about him." Nick noted. "Letting them inspire you. Letting them make you a better…" Something in the road caught Nick's eye, and he slowed the progress of the tin carriage. "…person?"

Betsy saw it now, and Nick had stopped the carriage within a couple of feet from where the humanoid figure…made entirely of tin…was apparently frozen in place.

Or rather, _rusted_ in place.

Once the carriage stopped, Nick and Betsy disembarked and stepped over to the tin-wrought person, who had a beautifully-crafted longsword strapped to his hip. By the looks of his decorated tin frame, he had the appearance of a soldier, and a look of determination was frozen on this soldier's face. By virtue of his pose, it seemed as if he were frozen in mid-walk, but stable enough on his feet that he did not fall to the ground.

Nick was the first to remember Ku-Klip's words, after a moment of thought. "I think I know who this is." He turned to Betsy. "Ku-Klip told us about him, remember?"

Betsy frowned, trying to recollect. Her eyebrows then raised. "Oh yeah! Ku-Klip said he made _two _tin men! This must be the oth'r one!"

They said the name in perfect unison as Betsy pulled out the oilcan. "_Fyter!_"

Betsy then busied herself in the oiling of the tin soldier's joints, once again saving the jaw of his mouth for last. Once the Oklahoma girl was done, the soldier's limbs began slowly moving of their own accord.

"Hup…" was the first sound out of the soldier's mouth. "…hup…"

He then squeaked his head over to Betsy curiously, who smiled meekly. He also noticed the oilcan she held.

One of his tin hands went to the scabbard of his sword, and the other, gripping its handle, snapped open a strap, allowing him to pull the sword out. He then brought the hilt to his chin, snapping to attention before the surprised girl.

"You have freed me from my misfortune, young winkie." The soldier observed, in a bold voice. "Captain Fyter of the 13th Battalion at your service."

Betsy blushed, smiling. "Pleased t' meetcha. I'm Betsy Bobbin…um…of the Oklahoma Bobbins."

Fyter frowned in confusion. "Bobbin?" He then seemed to remember something, and his expression brightened. "Ohhh! You must mean Lieutenant Bob-_bick_'s Battalion! He comes from the _Kalahome_ community in the Winkie Country. Good man, that Bobbick!"

"Bobbick?" Betsy arched an eyebrow, not having a clue as to who the soldier was referring to. "No, my name has been, an' still is Bobbin. An' I do come from Oklahoma. It's, uh, a place that's not in Oz."

So corrected, the Captain nodded in hesitant understanding. "Oh! I stand corrected, then. Regardless of where you come from, my dear, you will still have my tin-plated arm in repayment of my debt to you." He then turned to Nick. "I have heard of only one other person like me, created by a man called…"

"Ku-Klip?" Nick smiled. "He told us about you too. Nick Chopper. I am the Emperor of the winkies."

"He told me you were once a munchkin yourself! I have wanted to meet you!" Fyter remarked. "And…you say you are an _Emperor _now?" He lowered himself to one knee, bowing in reverence. "I am at your service as well, your highness. Truly…a magnificent choice of man for an Emperor."

Nick chuckled. "Please, rise. We're in the Gillikin Country anyway, so I'm outside of my jurisdiction for the moment. How did you get stuck out here, anyway? I heard you were changed by the Wicked Witch of the East. Did you know she is gone now?"

"Oh yes, I did learn this." Fyter confirmed. "It saddened me, though. I had wanted to take my revenge upon her. But, I suppose I shall have to settle for the karmic fate I had called unto the heavens upon her as she changed me. She cackled so viciously as she blighted me with her foul intonations."

"Oh, I would hardly consider becoming a tin man to be any kind of a blight!" Nick replied, an eyebrow raised. "I would think as a soldier, you would realize this!"

"Oh, indeed, yes, good emperor." Fyter noted. "But at the time of my being transformed, I had made such an observation. The only thing I don't know are the circumstances in which the witch was killed. Who was it that avenged our people?"

There was no way Nick was going to put the blame on Dorothy Gale, for she had only been in the house that had dropped upon the witch, and it was a tornado that had sent the house skyward before releasing it unto Munchkinland. "I would think _you _have, then, if you had called a karmic fate upon her, Captain. A house had dropped down from the sky, and it crushed her beneath it. If anyone tells you that it was a girl named Dorothy, then you should know that she happened to be in the house when it landed. Many munchkins mistakenly believe that she was responsible for dropping the house upon the East Witch, but this is the furthest thing from the truth, since she is not a witch."

"Then I would most certainly conclude that my karmic fate dealt its hand!" Fyter looked relieved as he re-sheathed his sword, his joints squeaking as he did so. "As for how I got here, I was searching for leads on the location of a great and terrible beast that I had been tasked by a gillikin farmer to find. I found myself caught in a great torrent of rain in my journey to Munchkinland, where the beast makes his lair. I had not oiled my joints for many days, as I was so determined to find out more about the great Hip-po-gy-raf that I never thought to lubricate myself in my journey to the creature's lair. Hence, I found myself moving slower and slower until I came to a complete halt."

"Hip-po-gy-raf?" Nick frowned in his puzzlement. "Sounds like a strange creature, indeed. And they say it is an evil beast?"

"As I understand it, its many victims lie helpless upon the ground around its lair, which is surrounded on all sides by a great chasm." Fyter explained. "What exactly happened to them, I do not know. It had been explained, however, that what happened to them would not happen to me, as I am made of tin, just like you."

"What leads had y' come up with?" Betsy asked.

"I learned that there was someone among the Lollipop Guild who knew where one would need to go to reach the monster's lair." Fyter replied. "A tough-mannered blond munchkin named Pugg. Brown suspenders, yellow and blue-striped shirt, brown shorts."

Nick nodded. "That certainly sounds like one of the Lollys…well, Captain, it seems you're in luck, as Betsy and I are on our way to Munchkinland ourselves. Would you like to join us?"

"I feel I _must_, your highness." Fyter answered. "You are both an emperor and a fellow munchkin, and the only other tin man in existence." He then gestured to Betsy. "And I owe _you _a debt for freeing me from my rather embarrassing predicament."

Betsy smiled, looking to Nick. "To Pugg?"

Nick and Fyter nodded, each of them raising a fist in emphasis and speaking exultantly, and in spirited unison. "_To Pugg!_"

* * *

After she had dismissed Dorothy, Ozma gathered up the items the eager munchkin had gotten for her from Woodworths. They were a group of four sturdy wooden poles, and one thick, round wooden piece…which resembled a portion of the body of a thin tree…with a peg jutting up at one end. Each of the four poles had been jointed in the center, just as the note the fairy princess gave Dorothy had specified.

Using a large table in her boudoir, she lined up the poles around the thick piece as if she were building a wooden man. Picking up her long, golden wand, she closed her eyes in deep concentration, and then passed the glowing head of the wand over the wooden figure.

Two of the jointed poles fused into the upper portion of the thick "body", while the poles below connected likewise.

When Ozma opened her eyes to look upon her work, she smiled wide…

…but at that point, a wildly tweeting yellow bird suddenly flew into the boudoir and began flittering around Ozma's head! The fairy princess gasped in her surprise, and she calmly brought up a hand, extending a slender finger for the excited bird…a canary…to perch upon, if it so desired.

"Shhhh…you are in no danger here, little bird." Ozma calmly assured. "Ease yourself."

When the bird finally perched upon Ozma's finger, she gave the jittery bird a closer inspection. She finally found an aspect of this bird that she found out of the ordinary, and her eyes widened with the discovery.

"You are no bird!" Ozma proclaimed. "Unless you are a bird from another land who has the eyes of a fairy!"

Although the canary was still quite jittery and nervous, Ozma's other hand passed over her feathered visitor, once again closing her eyes to concentrate as she tried to figure out, through her fairy magic, what might have happened to the bird.

When the eyes of the fairy princess opened, they reflected Ozma's displeasure with her findings. "Yookoohoo magic. It's a relief you weren't human when you were changed."

Picking up her golden wand again, Ozma's concentration was more intense as she summoned a considerably strong surge of fairy magic from the head of the wand, the energies seizing the fullness of the canary's physical form. The bird's legs began to lengthen, its clawed avian feet reshaping to that of a more human foot, while feathers came off the body of the bird…which was growing in size…by the dozens. The feathers dissolved within the globe of fairy magic as its wings became human arms, and a full head of long and beautiful blond hair flowed down in waves from a much more human-looking head, the beak of the bird receding until it became a nose and a mouth. A gauzy, silvery-white gown formed around her body, which sparkled in the light, as the restored fairy slowly settled to the floor of the boudoir before the globe of magic energy faded from view.

When Ozma opened her eyes, the eyes of the relieved fairy stared back at her, smiling. It took her but a moment to figure out who it was, and the fairy princess smiled back. "_Polychrome!_"

The lithe fairy, whose sparkling white gown shimmered with the colors of the rainbow, curtseyed in her acknowledgement. "And you must be Ozma. You were with Lurline's band, right?"

Ozma nodded. "I never expected to see rainbow's daughter wearing the form of a bird! Which yookoohoo did you run into?"

"A giantess. The wife of the Yoop." Polychrome replied, moving around balletically as she spoke. "She surprised me while I was idling in a meadow in the Gillikin Country. I had my eye on a very rare flower when my arms began sprouting feathers, and I started growing a beak."

"Did she do anything else to you? The yookoohoo, that is?"

Polychrome shook her head. "I don't think she did it out of malice. She told me she was lonely, but I wasn't about to show any gratitude over being turned into a bird! A human gillikin boy, however, was able to convince Mrs. Yoop, as she called herself, to let me go. I don't know what happened to the boy, though. I hope he's okay."

"Yookoohoos tend to be dangerous, though, in their displays of personal vanity." Ozma noted. "If Mrs. Yoop transformed that boy in any way, I would be unable to break her spell unless I transferred the form to someone else. What was the boy's name?"

"Woot." Polychrome answered.

"Well…there _is _a way we can find out what has become of Woot." Ozma gestured to have her fairy friend follow her to the Magic Picture. When they stood before it, the fairy princess called for the radium-framed relic to reveal Woot's location.

Their eyes boggled in shock when they saw what the gillikin boy had become.

Ozma then sighed, lowering her head in despair. "Such is the habits of the yookoohoos. We should get him out of there."

Polychrome kept looking at the image with a more curious gaze. "The monkey doesn't seem to be in a daze, though. I know some yookoohoos have that power. They impose a strong, but temporary bliss-like state on those they keep as pets. This one doesn't look like he's doing this against his will. In fact, they both look quite happy with each other."

Ozma lingered her gaze, watching his activities for a few more minutes. Indeed, Woot seemed contented as he wandered around the fullness of the castle's interiors, even going so far as to swing and jump around using his new simian tail. Something caught Woot's attention, and he hurried over to another location in the castle. It was a room within which Mrs. Yoop presented him with a full meal. Before Ozma neutralized the picture's image, they had begun eating together with smiles on both of their faces.

The fairy ruler rubbed at her chin, deep in thought as Polychrome looked to her curiously. "Dew drop for your thoughts, your highness?"

Ozma smiled as her eyes found Polychrome. "Dew drops. You know how much I love those. Well…ordinarily, I would want to consult Glinda about this. I know for sure she does not like yookoohoos because of their transformational magic. This is a perplexing case, though. If what you say is right, and Woot is there of his own free will…"

"Even through the picture, your highness, I would have been able to see if he were under a spell other than that which transformed him." Polychrome interjected. "I think his decision to stay there with her is a conscious one."

"There's something else to consider, though." Ozma noted. "Woot's parents. I'd want to find out what their situation is. How _they _feel about him being as he is now."

"If they're still alive." Polychrome grimly reminded. "The witch-sisters did kill many people during their rule. It's possible Woot's parents are gone. If I'm right, it's possible that this is the yookoohoo's way of…hmmm. I know there is a human word for someone who takes a parent-less child in as his or her own…"

Ozma nodded. "Adoption."

"_Yes, _that's it." Polychrome confirmed. "I do believe that their association is based on a mutual need for each other. If I'm right, that is."

"And you usually have good judgment." Ozma noted. "You are rainbow's daughter, after all…but while we're here, there's one other person I want to check on."

Ozma then turned her head to the picture, and summoned forth the image of the emperor of the winkies.

When the image sharpened to full clarity, what followed proved to be a fairly thrilling series of events.

* * *

The tin carriage's run through the Gillikin Country was unimpeded, and they eventually saw the border that separated the lands of the gillikins from Munchkinland. Captain Fyter entertained Betsy by speaking of all his past adventures. He also shared the misfortune that resulted in his transformation at the hands of the East Witch in a little more detail.

"By the way, your highness…" Fyter then remarked. "…you never told me why you and Betsy are going to Munchkinland. Reconnecting with elements of your old life, perhaps?"

"In a way, yes." Nick replied. "I am looking for someone I once loved very much. In becoming emperor of the winkies, I got entirely distracted by my want to help the winkies rebuild and revitalize their communities, and I always put off my want to see her. Until now, of course. Betsy is helping me find her. We had another companion in a boy named Woot…but he chose to remain with a friend he met during our journey. We learned that the girl I am looking for is in Munchkinland. Her name is Nimmie Amee."

"Do y' know anythin' about 'er Cap'n?" Betsy curiously asked.

Fyter's expression changed the moment he heard the name, and the expression did not look very happy. In fact, he looked quite crestfallen now as his thoughtful gaze drifted to the ground in front of him.

"As a matter of fact…" Fyter answered. "…I do. I, too, have had feelings of affection for this spirited young munchkin. But…that was before I had confronted the Wicked Witch of the East. I am the reason she was taken to be her maidservant as well."

"But…now she's gone. The witch, that is." Betsy reminded. "If y' know her, I think she'd be happy t' see you again."

"No." Fyter firmly remarked. "I must not. In fact, when we are finished with the Hip-po-gy-raf, I will be leaving your company."

"Y' don't have t' do that!" Betsy exclaimed. "Maybe the emp'ror can make you Cap'n of th' Guard or somethin'! Back at the tin palace!"

"Your highness, I must be insistent on the matter of Nimmie Amee." Fyter told the Emperor. "I must not see her again. The shame would be too much for me to bear. Even in this tin body."

"Well…as much as I find Betsy's idea of putting you in charge of our guardforce worth consideration…" Nick began. "…perhaps you could give us more of an explanation? _Why _were you the reason she became the witch's maid?"

Fortunately for the Captain, the tin carriage began rolling onto Munchkinland roads, so he found it prudent to divert attention to his past regrets. "With respect, your highness, I would like to save that story for another time. We should begin our search for Pugg."

"You'll have to help us there, Captain." Nick reminded. "Any idea as to where he might be?"

Fyter shook his head.

"We're gonna need t' ask th' locals, then." Betsy suggested.

And as the tin carriage rolled through the Munchkinland grounds, the wondrous design of the vehicle was getting a _lot _of attention from among the munchkin locals. They were following along as Nick slowly drifted the vehicle along the roads. He wondered if he would see Dorothy among the crowds as he continued his progress through the quaint and colorful Munchkinland grounds.

Nick had to stop, however, when the crowds grew too thick for the carriage to advance. Now, munchkins were running their hands along its sides, marveling at its impressive design. Betsy waved to a few of the munchkins, charmed at their appearances, while Fyter nodded respectfully to munchkins who also expressed amazement at the fact that there was _another _tin man in their midst. Among some of the gossipers in the crowd, they had already begun buzzing as to who this tin soldier could be.

"Good people of Munchkinland…" Nick called out, addressing the small-statured crowds. "…we appreciate your appraisals of the carriage, but I wonder if anyone could tell us where we could find a munchkin named Pugg?"

Unfortunately, the voice of the tin emperor was not loud enough to be caught by everyone in the crowd, and those who did catch on to the words were muttering amongst themselves as to where and who Pugg could be, and the cacophany of voices began to rise again.

It was then that a munchkin woman curiously made her way to the passenger side of the carriage, her eyes catching sight of the tin soldier. Such was her reaction to the soldier's appearance that she immediately blushed, and when Fyter's eyes found hers, she grinned like a coquette and tried to look as fetching as she could, fluttering her eyes and offering a wave of acknowledgement.

Another munchkin woman wrestled past her, though, and got right up to the passenger side, her eyes locked on the soldier. "Hi there, tin boy. Welcome to Munchkinland." She, too, grinned, and added a sultry wink to her obvious attempt to woo this new tin-wrought presence. "My name's Summa Cumlaude. What's yours?"

Summa's shoulder, however, was grabbed and pulled to face the first woman who had tried to get Fyter's notice. "_Summa! _No fair! I saw him first!"

"Well, I _talked _to him first, Magna!" Summa argued back. "Honestly...you've got a lot to learn when it comes to getting yourself a man!"

The two munchkin Vice Headmistresses of the Learning Guild now began to argue with each other…but just before it seemed they were going to go to blows, a loud voice issued from where Fyter was sitting which appropriately hushed the crowds. "_SSIIIIIILLLLEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNCE!_"

Even Betsy had to hold her ears, the tin soldier was so loud in his command. Nick quirked an eyebrow as he swiveled his head towards Fyter.

Fyter smiled. "A thousand pardons, emperor. I have a bit of experience in exerting discipline where necessary." He then stuck his head out of one of the windows of the passenger area to address the crowds once again. "We seek a munchkin by the name of Pugg. Might any of you know of whom we speak?"

After a moment of thought from the crowds, one of the munchkins spoke up. "Maybe Bibi knows!"

"Bibi rarely leaves her farm." Another munchkin voice noted. "Jenks gets around the locality, though! Maybe _he _knows!"

"Indeed, I have heard a hundred names in many places around Munchkinland," The man called Jenks revealed. "but that is one name I have not yet heard, nor met."

"Cyril?" Another voice remarked.

"Nope, don't know a Pugg." Another voice replied.

Other names were mentioned by other voices, and then discarded for one reason or another by others.

"Maybe _Dorothy _would know!" A young munchkin then called out. This generated a lot of agreeing voices.

"She is _far too busy _right now preparing a final exam for my daughter!" the munchkin woman called Prudence countered. "She should not be disturbed!"

Fyter interjected the other clue he had learned. "From what I know of Pugg, he is one of the Lollipop Guild. Is there anyone from that group here?"

"Yes! Right here!" A munchkin boy's hand waved, and then made his way through the crowds towards Fyter. "I know everything there is to know about the Lollipop Guild. I'm it's Guildmaster. My name's Ojo."

"Then you should know the name, yes?" Fyter asked.

"Hmmm…I might need to ask some of our older members." Ojo admitted. "He might have been from before my time as Guildmaster…"

Summa Cumlaude's voice then interjected. "_I _know where you can find that Lolly, tin bubbie."

All eyes turned to the Vice Headmistress, as Magna sighed aloud in her irritation. "Would you be able to share it with us, please?" Fyter asked.

"Oh? Just like that? Give up privileged information?" Summa crossed her arms in front of her. "What do _I _get out of the deal?"

Betsy rolled her eyes over Summa's obvious attempts to win Fyter's affections. She felt bad for the one called Magna, though. That munchkin now looked crestfallen.

"If the information you share with us turns out to be the truth," Fyter replied. "I will return to you following the completion of my current mission, and you can guide me around the Munchkinland grounds. I have not been here in a very long time, and I see things have changed since the last time I had munchkin skin. I would have you re-acquaint me with munchkin society, but _only _if you will truthfully lead me to Pugg."

Summa grinned. "Sounds like a date to me, tin boy."

As Summa stepped, quite sultrily, towards where Nick was sitting, Fyter turned his gaze to Magna, who now looked miserable.

But when she glanced up at him, she saw Fyter offer her a wink of interest. This gesture alone made her a little less crestfallen, and she was left wondering if there would be more to that.

Summa, however, gestured for Nick to follow behind her, and the tin carriage was once again moving, the crowds parting so that the vehicle could advance.

Nick knew that the headquarters of the Lollipop Guild was in the same district of Munchkinland where Dorothy's house was located, but Summa was leading the tin carriage away from that district, and he sighed with regret. He wanted to get in a visit with the transformed Kansas girl before leaving the land.

Summa instead guided the carriage to one of the outer villages, which was a bit less colorful than the main towns and cities of Munchkinland. It was also not as populated, and those that did populate the area apparently led a much more humble existence.

Once she reached a certain point, where a fairly large and wide hut was located, and seemed to stand by itself and away from the other dwellings in the area, Summa lifted a finger and pointed to this particular hut. "Pugg should be _there._"

Stopping the tin carriage, the group stepped out of the vehicle to gaze upon the hut. Beyond this dwelling was a sea of trees prefacing a forest, and beyond this forest was a large mountain range. Nick gazed upon this mountain, remembering the landmark's name.

"Mount Munch." Nick revealed. "There's an entire village up in those mountains. The Hyup tribe lives up there."

"Pugg said he has relatives among the Hyups." Summa explained. "But that's not the only reason he moved out here. He used to be a resident of the main towns of Munchkinland. Something happened, though, and after he removed himself as a member of the Lollipop Guild, he moved out here."

Fyter nodded, confiding with Nick as they approached the hut. "No doubt it has something to do with the Hip-po-gy-raf." He then looked to the others. "Stay with the carriage."

Not content to just idle on the ground with a munchkin woman she had quietly deemed a selfish floozy, Betsy decided to climb up to the roof of the tin carriage's passenger area and serve as a lookout, keeping an eye on the hut Fyter and Nick approached.

It didn't occur to either of the tin-wrought visitors that Fyter's presence was betrayed by the minor, but audible squeaks his joints were emitting as he moved. As Nick stuck his head into the hut's opening, he had imagined that the blond munchkin was somewhere inside.

He saw nothing on his initial glance into the hut's interiors, and he slowly made his way inside. Fyter, his hand on the hilt of his sword, followed close behind Nick, watching his rear as he moved with backward steps.

Once they were completely inside the hut, searching around, Betsy spotted a blond munchkin clad only in a loincloth making his way around the hut from the other side, where he had apparently been hiding. The Oklahoma girl wondered if Summa could see him.

Unfortunately, primping was a bit more important to Summa than any concept of playing lookout. She had procured items from the bag she carried with her and was beautifying herself a little bit, no doubt in an effort to make herself more attractive in Fyter's eyes.

Betsy crouched, hoping she would not be seen atop the carriage. Apparently, the munchkin in the loincloth…who Betsy surmised to be Pugg…saw the carriage and began approaching it very quietly. No doubt he wanted to see about using it to affect a getaway. Summa was on the other side of the carriage and as such, he did not see her, nor was he looking up at the roof.

His steps hurried in his approach. Just a few more feet to the door of the driver's side…

"The clothes we found matched what you were told." Nick remarked, still within the hut. "He definitely lives here."

The tin men stepped out of the hut...and spotted Pugg hurrying toward the tin carriage!

"HEY!" Fyter cried out, drawing his sword.

As Pugg turned in his moment of stationary fright to look upon the tin men with wide eyes, he was in a perfect position for Betsy to leap down upon him and wrestle him to the ground, pinning his arms and legs as he struggled about.

"Owww! Lemme go! Lemme go!" Pugg cried out in a froggy voice. "Yer crushin' me! Owww!"

Fyter held out his sword. "Pick him up, Betsy."

The Oklahoma girl did so, holding to the frowning munchkin's arms as he noticed Fyter's sword being pointed at his neck. "Not too close, Captain." Nick advised. "We don't want to hurt him."

"Whaddya want with me?" Pugg's froggy voice growled. "You people are _passtressin'! _Go away an' leave me alone!"

Summa walked over to face Pugg, standing a few paces away. "Hiiiii, Puggyyyyy. I see you're getting by pretty good around here."

Pugg's eyes boggled upon seeing Summa, and he shook with anger as he spoke. "You _tramp! _You _hussy! _You brought dese people ta me! You broke yer promise! _I'm never trustin' you again!_"

"Pugg, please relax." Nick's calming voice interjected. "If it's solitude you want, none of us will tell anyone where you are, but we need something from you in return for our silence. We just need you to take us to where the Hip-po-gy-raf lives."

Predictably, his eyes widened. "Whaddya wanna see _him _for?"

"Farmers have tasked me to find him." Fyter replied. "The beast is apparently causing them grief. I must convince the creature to end this by any means necessary."

"I've sent too many others ta him already!" Pugg noted. "Ya _really _wanna end up like dem? I don't wanna be da cause o' anyone else lyin' around 'im! Fuh-_get _it!"

"You think whatever this creature does would have any effect on a man made of tin?" Fyter reasoned. "If it were meat people going in, I would understand your concern."

"Wellll…yeah, ya gots a point dere." Pugg replied. He then indicated Betsy and Summa. "But what about _dese _two?"

"Ummm…he's got a point there, tin boy." Summa remarked. "I mean…I went with you to help you find Pugg. Do I _really _need to…"

"You could stay in Pugg's hut and watch over it while he's gone, if it's okay with Pugg." Nick suggested.

"I don't want no girly messin' wit my stuff!" Pugg growled. "I like my home jus' da way it is!"

Summa shrugged. "I won't touch anything." She raised a hand up. "Vice Headmistress's honor."

"Dat's what ya said when ya promised ya wouldn't tell anyone where I went!" Pugg griped. "I'm not trustin' you!"

"If it would make you feel any better, Pugg, then consider this." Nick offered. "When we come back to your hut, we're gonna look the place over, since we went in there to look for you when we first arrived. If anything looks any different, we're gonna go right to Headmistress Philomena and tell her that Summa broke a promise made against the honor of the Learning Guild."

This visibly shocked Summa. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened as she gasped aloud. "You _wouldn't!_ That's _cruelty!_ That…that goes against everything you stand for, emperor!"

"If he cannot bring himself to do it," Fyter noted. "I most certainly will."

"An' if he won't, I sure will." Betsy added.

Pugg crossed his arms in front of him, a satisfied smirk on his face as he looked upon Summa's expression.

Summa's shoulders drooped. "Okay, okay…I won't touch anything. But…can I at least make myself something to eat? I don't know how long you'll be away!"

"He's not too far from here." Pugg noted. "It's ta da west o' Mount Munch. 'Bout forty-five minits er so on foot."

"We can get there sooner using the carriage." Nick reminded.

Pugg then looked to Betsy, firing a finger to her. "She should stay here too."

Betsy frowned at this. "No chance. I'm goin' with."

Pugg shrugged. "Up ta you."

As the group went back into the tin carriage, Summa headed for the hut, hoping whatever food the former Lollipop Guild member had in surplus would be to her liking.

The road through the forest proved bumpy and precarious as they went through the sea of trees, Nick being very careful in his maneuvering. The afternoon sun was beginning its progression to the evening hours, so he hoped they could get to the beast's locale while they still had natural light.

Back at the Emerald City, both Ozma and Polychrome…still observing the group's progress using the Magic Picture…hoped for the same.

"It's funny." Nick observed as he was driving. "I haven't heard about any incidents of monsters attacking farms."

"Yet, the farmers who asked this of me told me this thing has been raiding many farms all over Oz, and even those on the other side of the desert."

"Then this mus' be a flyin' beast." Betsy surmised. "Like a big ol' dragon."

"Da Hip-po-gy-raf don't have no wings." Pugg remarked. "Dey say he jus'…came outta thin air."

"Teleportation?" Fyter guessed, alarmed at the thought. "No _wonder _he was elusive!"

Nick began to slow the carriage, finally coming through the forest as per Pugg's instructions. It was indeed a chasm, and it bordered a circular landmass. Round shapes were scattered on the ground on both their side, and that of the landmass on the other side of the chasm. "Looks like we're here."

The group began to disembark from the carriage, but they noticed that one of them remained inside.

"I'm stayin' here." Pugg nervously remarked. "I'm not goin' anywhere _near _'im."

Fyter turned to Nick. "This is my task, your highness. You should stay with the carriage. Betsy and I will deal with the beast."

Nick nodded, placing a hand on the Captain's tin shoulder. "Be careful out there." He then looked to Betsy. "Especially you."

She raised a thumb in response. "You betcha!"

Betsy and Fyter then distanced themselves from the carriage to approach the edge of the chasm…but they slowed their steps to a complete halt when they finally came close to one of the round shapes resting upon the floor.

Getting a close look, it was to their mutual shock that they saw that the round shape in question, lying face down upon the ground, was a living human being!

The unfortunate victim still had his clothes on(although they were of tremendous size to accommodate his grossly obese appearance), but aside from minor movements of his hyper-bloated limbs, he could not move. He breathed in small bursts of air. Like the others, he lay there as if he were a huge bag of molasses, his mass laying flat on the ground.

There were others like him scattered here and there around their area. Betsy also noticed farm implements…the kinds that could be used as weapons…near their positions.

Fyter tried talking to the first one they had found. "Ho! How did this happen to you?"

The man tried to speak, but all that came out was a slight moan.

Fyter turned to Betsy with a worried expression. "Maybe you _should _go back. Let me handle this."

"_No! _I'm goin' with you!" Betsy demanded. "I can help, don't worry! I'll be careful! 'Sides…I can be real fast!"

Fyter nodded, and then turned his attention to the chasm. "We just have to figure out a way to get over _this_."

"Unless we can get th' beast t' come ov'r here." Betsy surmised aloud.

"If he's sleeping, we have little chance of that." Fyter reasoned.

Betsy began to think on this, glancing around at the bodies as she paced around. "If they knew they needed t' get past a chasm t' get to it…then they must have somethin' t' help them. Like, maybe somethin' magic."

Fyter nodded at this thinking. "We could borrow something from one of these people. Let's hope they're not angry with us for doing so. There's a bag over by that one over there. Let's check it."

They saw that the person they indicated was a pretty blond woman, although she was now bloated just like the others. Carefully going through her pack, they found food and water, and they also found a small box with an inscription on the bottom which spelled out a name: _Doctor Pipt_.

"The crooked magician of Munchkinland!" Fyter remarked in his amazement. "Whatever this is has _got _to be magical!"

Opening the box revealed a beautifully-crafted silver ring with a large, sparkling ruby encrusted upon it. A folded piece of paper was beneath the felt cushion beneath where the ring was laying idle in the box. Taking out the ring and putting it into a pocket, Betsy opened the paper note. The inscription seemed to read like an advertisement…

**~ Doctor Pipt presents… ~**

**THE WONDROUS WINDWALKER-RING!**

**Have you ever wanted to step upon the skies  
****for a time? Feel the wind all around you, while  
****your feet step against it as if it were solid ground?**

**EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF WINDWALKERING!**

**TAKE YOUR FRIENDS! ONE FOR EACH HAND!**

*** NOTE: Charge expended upon landfall ***

**~ WARNING: ONE USE ****_ONLY!_**

Putting the note back in the opened box, Betsy put the box back in her pocket and pulled the ring from it. "She nev'r got a chance t' use it."

"It must have teleported over here, and taken them all by surprise." Fyter surmised.

"We'd bett'r get ov'r there quick, then." Betsy slipped the ring onto a finger. "'Fore it does th' same to us." Feeling herself become lightweight, she quickly grabbed Fyter's tin hand. When she saw that she and Fyter were a few feet above the ground, she began a walking motion, and Betsy began moving forward, feeling what seemed to be an invisible surface beneath her feet. Fyter did likewise, and they found themselves literally walking over the chasm drop.

"Try not to look down, Betsy." Fyter advised, seeing Betsy's nervous expression alternating forward, and then down below her. For the rest of the distance, Betsy kept her eyes staring ahead, a slight smile on her face as she felt the warmth of the magic…and the soft glow emanating from the ruby…on her finger.

Once they were over the edge of the central landmass, they stopped. "I guess we jus' take it off t' get back down." Betsy surmised. When she looked down, however, she saw that they were both fairly high above the ground.

"You might get hurt in the fall." Fyter advised. "Let my hand go. The fall won't hurt me, and I can catch you when you take off the ring."

Betsy nodded, and when she released Fyter's hand, he dropped down onto his tin feet with a loud 'thud". He then extended his arms beneath the floating Oklahoma girl, who finally pulled the ring from her finger. Fyter easily caught her, and placed her back on her feet. When Betsy looked at the ring, she saw that the ruby had cracked, and the silver ring had the appearance of tarnished copper. She threw the now worthless ring over the edge of the landmass, and it dropped down into the seemingly bottomless chasm.

When they turned, they saw more bloated bodies, but they surrounded the thing itself, which was indeed in a state of deep slumber.

The creature combined the traits of a hippo, with its large, four-legged body and feet and its wrinkled, leathery skin, and its very long neck seemed to coil around its body, its head resting right beside its body mass. The face was frog-like, with large eyes and a wide mouth. It breathed slowly as it continued to lie in its resting place, looking entirely content.

"Alas," Fyter quietly remarked, gesturing to the beast. "the Hip-po-gy-raf himself."

"Mercy me…" Betsy looked around sympathetically at all the bloated bodies. "…I hope there's a way we can help all these oth'rs…"

"We must rouse it first." Fyter began approaching the beast's head. "Stay behind me. If it attacks, try to move around as fast as you can. Try to distract it."

Betsy nodded as Fyter stepped closer to the beast's face, wondering what he should say to rouse the creature…

…but before he could say one word, the creature opened its eyes full and wide, looking right at the tin soldier. Betsy saw this as well, gasping in surprise, and tensed herself in her readiness to start moving.

When the Hip-po-gy-raf spoke, its voice was very deep, and loud. "You are most…unique. I have never seen a tin man come before me. You can help me."

"_Us _help _you?_" Betsy cried out, coming a little closer to the creature as her hands went to her waist. "What about all these poor people? Who's gonna help _them?_"

"If you release these people from whatever you have done to them," Fyter offered, his voice firm. "we can consider granting your favor."

"They will _not _be released." The creature countered. "They all feel the weight of their folly…although I fear I shall not be able to do the same to you, tin soldier, I may still crush you under one of my feet, or pound you down with my large head."

Fyter frowned. "You would impale yourself upon my sword were you to attempt such a pounding."

The great beast's head tilted to the side. "You have restraint, soldier. Unlike these others. Unlike your friend, who is so quick to anger."

"Is it wrong for her to be sympathetic to the suffering of all these people?" Fyter gestured to the bloated bodies. "All of them lying here, starving, and unable to move?"

"They are paralyzed, yes." The Hip-po-gy-raf confirmed. "But they are _not_ starving. The Curse of Mass within them keeps them nourished indefinitely."

Both Betsy and Fyter were surprised to hear this, and they both wondered how this creature could apply such a curse. Fyter's next concern was for the beast's want. "What would you ask of us?"

The creature kept its eyes on Fyter, and he then brought his head right up to the tin man. "I am _hungry._"

This alarmed Betsy. "He's gonna _eat us!_" She cried out.

The head of the Hip-po-gy-raf suddenly whipped up and then stared angrily down at Betsy. "Hold your tongue, tempestuous girl!"

"You're not eatin' me!" Betsy began running. "You're gonna have t' catch me first!"

With a snort, the beast's hippo body began bloating with an apparent gathering of energy. This bloat then quickly traveled up along his very long neck to reach his head, and he expelled it in a huge blast of glowing green mist, casting it right down at Betsy in a concentrated stream.

The Oklahoma girl, however, leaped atop one of the bloated bodies and flipped forward towards the body of the Hip-po-gy-raf, tumbling forward in her evasion of the glowing green breath.

Ozma's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes boggling, as she watched the images in the Magic Picture. Polychrome's response was even more shocked, and the fairy princess could hear rainbow's daughter speaking to herself. "No…please…he won't hurt you! Oh no…my dear friend…"

"You know that tin man?" Ozma asked.

"No." Polychrome responded. "The Hip-po-gy-raf. He is _not_ an evil being. Please believe me, your highness!"

Another direct burst of green mist was avoided by Betsy's nimble maneuvering. Fyter began charging over to the creature's body, drawing his sword with the intent to sever the neck at the base of the body.

Seemingly irritated now, the Hip-po-gy-raf once again gathered up more of the green mist in his body, and then surged it up his throat.

When he heaved it down, however, he burst it down in a cone-like radius, covering a wide area. Fyter was only halfway to the creature's body when he stopped to look back at the nimble Oklahoma girl.

As Betsy needed to breathe as she leaped about, there was no way she could avoid inhaling this wide-area dispersal, and the glowing green mists surged into her young human frame. Her limbs and body began to expand uncontrollably as she staggered, and she dropped to the ground, growing just as large and as bloated as the other bodies lying around the Hip-po-gy-raf.

"BETSYYY!" Fyter screamed as he hurried over to her paralyzed body, which made only the slightest of movements as she laid face-down on the ground. He could hear her making small bursts of breathing, and her bloated face had an expression of despair.

"I can, and I will, release your friend from the Curse of Mass." The Hip-po-gy-raf assured. "But you must feed me first."

Fyter hung his head in despair, looking down sympathetically at Betsy. "What…manner of food…do you desire?"

The creature's response surprised him. "Hay and straw. One, or the other. Or both."

The Captain blinked. So that was why the gillikin farmer had sent him, and presumably, all these others. This creature had apparently been teleporting himself to various farms to eat their stores of hay and straw. But if he was hungry now, how come he could not teleport and satisfy his hunger?

"How is it that you have been able to eat?" Fyter asked.

"A friend gave me a magic pearl to swallow. A pearl from a place called Pingaree, which forever grants me two wishes." The creature explained. "I wished upon it once…to be able to take me to one place with plenty of hay to eat whenever I was hungry…and then I wished upon it again, to take me back here when I was done."

"And that's all you've done? You've gone to all of one place to satisfy your hunger?" Fyter exclaimed. "I was told that you had been to various farms!"

"That is a _lie_. Spoken by the farmer who inhabits the place from which I have fed." The Hip-po-gy-raf revealed. "He lied to everyone else here, as well. They all came here openly calling for my death."

Fyter surmised that for the length of the creature's neck, he was able to inflict his curse on those on the other side of the chasm as well. "Why are you hungry now, though? There was no hay upon your last visit?"

"The farmer confronted me, and told me that he would starve me." The creature replied. "He no longer has hay, nor straw, in his barn."

"And you could not inflict the Curse of Mass upon _him?_"

"He has somehow rendered himself immune to it." The Hip-po-gy-raf revealed. "If he can be convinced to feed me once more, I shall lift the curse upon your friend. If there is more you can learn about this man, for I suspect he is not the man he seems to be, then the curse shall be lifted from everyone else around me."

After what the two fairies in Ozma's boudoir had seen, Polychrome had to assuage the immediate concerns of the fairy princess. She assured Ozma that the beast was a reasonable and fair creature, and that he could be convinced to lift the curse, the nature of which she fully explained to the fairy princess as well.

With no other choice, Fyter nodded, still looking down upon Betsy's neutralized body. "Very well, Hip-po-gy-raf. The emperor and I shall look into your matter at once."

"Fear not for your young friend." The creature assured Fyter. "She will not come to any harm. She will be as safe with me as everyone else here has always been." He then extended his neck across the chasm, allowing Fyter to use it as a bridge so he could cross it.

"Do you know this farmer's name?" Fyter asked.

"I know it well." The creature replied. "His name is Stanton."

Fyter now remembered the name he had forgotten in the time in which he was rusted solid. That was indeed the name of the farmer who had tasked him to find and deal with the Hip-po-gy-raf. He even remembered where the farm was now.

"If there is any justice to this matter," Fyter announced. "it shall be done."

The beast then brought its head back to the central landmass that was its lonesome lair, leaving Fyter to make his way back to the tin carriage as the skies above began to dissolve in color to deeper shades of blue.

The Captain explained everything to Nick when he returned to the carriage. To say that Nick was visibly distraught upon hearing what happened to Betsy was an understatement. As Pugg was fast asleep in the passenger area of the carriage, he heard nothing of the assessment the Captain had shared.

The tin carriage nevertheless rolled away from the creature's lair, and Nick henceforth followed the instructions Fyter provided. The emperor was at least comforted by the fact that even though Betsy's body was now horribly misshapen, she would not starve, nor would the creature allow her to come to harm.

One part of Fyter's information stuck with Nick as he drove. It was the part in which the creature suspected that Stanton was not what he seemed.

They had needed to drive just beyond the borders of Munchkinland, and back into the Gillikin Country to find Stanton's farm, and the skies were nearly pitch black by the time they found it.

Pugg was practically snoring now. Not even the rough roads the carriage rolled over could rouse the former Lollipop Guild member from his sleep, and the two tin men left him to 'watch the carriage'.

"The farm obviously hasn't changed much." Fyter observed as he looked upon the modest farm dwellings in their approach to the farmhouse. Looking upon the nearby barn, they confirmed that it was empty. Not a scrap of hay could be seen. They also noticed that there were no animals in the immediate vicinity of the farm at all.

Nick stepped to the farmhouse door and gave it a solid rapping. The man who answered the door had a head of partially bald gray and black hair. He had no mustache, but he did have a scruffy beard and a perpetually frowning expression. He didn't look at all tired, but he did have a white and purple-striped nightgown on, and a soup-drenched spoon in his right hand. Although he was an old man, he was still fairly well-built.

Fyter immediately recognized him as Stanton, the farmer who had sent him to find the creature. From the expression on Nick's face upon seeing the old man, it seemed as if he, too,were trying to place the face he was now looking at.

"Captain Fyter." Stanton confirmed, squinting his eyes. His face took on a more disdainful expression. "You sure took your time, didn't you? I had to resort to other, more radical ways of keeping that confounded monster away from my barn. So much for that little 'oath' of yours…unless you came here to give me good news? I see you brought a friend." He turned his attention to Nick. "He looks oddly familiar…might you be the Emperor of the winkies? I hear he, too, is made of tin."

Nick nodded. "The Captain is a friend of mine. I can't help but wonder where I have seen you before, too."

Stanton shrugged. "I've never met you, and you're out of your jurisdiction, so don't you go giving me any orders." He wagged a calloused finger in emphasis.

"We just want to ask you a few questions, Stanton." Nick remarked.

"About what?" Stanton asked. "About your friend's failure to do as I asked?"

"I found the nature of your 'task' questionable." Fyter frowned as he spoke. "You made it sound like I should kill that creature. You also lied to me about his habits. You told me he raided several farms, when in fact he only gorged himself on the hay in one farm. Yours."

"I've also been told that it was you who sent all those people lying around his lair. No doubt you wanted them to kill him." Nick added. "Were you in my jurisdiction, Stanton, I would have you banished for promoting cruelty."

"_Cruelty?_" Stanton exclaimed. "Was the beast not cruel to _me? _He came to me to feast upon my hay! I did not invite him to do so!"

"Can hay not be replaced?" Fyter reasoned. "That barn looks like it could hold many weeks' worth of such a burden. Do you intend to refill it?"

"_No_." Stanton's tone turned nasty as he spoke. "Before that beast came and caused me grief, I only collected the finest hay around! It was too _good _for any man or beast! Not even some long-necked, frog-faced freak!"

Nick seemed to catch on to a hint. "Too good for any man or beast, eh?" He began approaching the door, opening it, and then pushing Stanton aside as he made his way in. "That statement sounds awfully familiar…"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Stanton protested as Fyter followed Nick in. "I never invited you in! And you call yourself a heartfelt emperor!"

"What is it, your highness?" Fyter asked.

Nick continued his survey of the farmhouse's interiors. "I want to know who he _really _is."

"This is _preposterous, _emperor! You are out of your jurisdiction!" Stanton growled. "I demand that you leave at once! Both of you!"

But Fyter whipped his sword out of its scabbard and held it out towards the old man. "_Silence_ yourself, liar, until the emperor of the winkies has finished his investigation!"

The proof of his suspicion hung idly above the farmhouse's fireplace. It was beautifully-crafted embroidery piece surrounded by a circular picture frame.

And upon this embroidery were two large, well-rendered letters.

**J. L.**

"J. L." Nick repeated, turning to look at Stanton curiously. "I've seen embroideries like this before. Only one village was known for producing it, according to Prime Minister Gruf, and they're not widely available. Never sold at markets."

Stanton began to look a little flustered. Fyter noticed the movements of his eyes as he spoke. They went up, and to the right. "Well, I…I…I was _given _this embroidery. It looked nice, so I kept it!"

Fyter's eyes narrowed as he brought his sword closer to Stanton's throat. "You're _lying_ again. I need no magic spells to figure that out, old man."

Nick turned to Stanton, leveling a finger to the embroidery. "This gives you away, I'm afraid." He then moved the finger to point at Stanton, a more accusing expression on his face. "You might as well admit the truth and drop the act. You might also want to explain why you sacrificed your own family to the terror of the Wicked Witch of the West just so you could escape their fate. A fate that will be reversed when this matter is reported to the Princess Ozma."

Stanton looked more angry now. His body practically shook in his building rage, fixing a hateful look on the tin emperor.

Fyter kept his eyes on Stanton, and he kept his sword pointed towards him. "Do you have an idea what those letters stand for, your highness?"

"I do now." Nick replied. "This man's name isn't Stanton." He took a step forward, his own eyes on the treacherous old man. "It's Jedediah Loon."

"_CURSE _YOUR TIN-PLATED BELLIGERENCE!" Jedediah screamed, shaking angrily. "How _dare _you pass judgment on me! My people…my people _willingly _sacrificed themselves so I would not share their fate!"

Fyter now looked quite shocked. Jed's eyes betrayed his falsehood as he spoke. "I don't _believe _it! You just lied to us _again!_"

Nick shook his head shamefully. "_You_ should be among those helpless bodies lying around the Hip-po-gy-raf, Jed…and when I expose the truth to the Loon family once they have all been restored to their rightful forms, you're going to wish you were."

"Wha…no. You _wouldn't!_" Jed's face now looked aghast. He fired a finger towards Nick as he wailed. "Cruel emperor! _Heartless!_ You would _ruin _me!"

"Like you ruined your family?" Nick noted. "They, at least, were brave enough…even in their own conceitedness…to resist the witch's tyranny. How far away was the rock you were hiding behind when the witch came to punish them all as she did?"

Fyter frowned in his own curiosity. "What did she do to them?"

"Bouncing rubber balls." Nick lamentedly replied. "Every last one of them."

"And that, apparently, does not _bother_ you?" Fyter noticed that Jed's expression went unchanged at the mention of his family's fate. "You would not even shed so much as a single tear? What kind of patriarch _are_ you?"

"A man who proudly covets the value of self-preservation!" Jed growled.

"Until now." Nick proclaimed. "You're going to fill that barn with hay, Jed. Top to bottom. Every inch of that barn. You're going to start feeding the Hip-po-gy-raf on a regular basis."

Jed was at the zenith of his anger now. "I would sooner bounce around like a rubber _ball!_"

He whipped his arm out, defiantly deflecting the sword poised at his throat, and rushed for the front door with surprising speed. Whipping open the door, he rushed out, glancing behind him…

…and crashed right into a munchkin! Jed and Pugg collapsed to the ground.

"Get _off _me, you munchkin _bug!_" Jed growled as they wrestled…

…which proved to be a _big _mistake for Jedediah as Pugg, his eyes flaring with fury, balled a hard fist and slammed it right into the gillikin man's face, knocking him out in one shot.

Pugg grabbed him and pulled him up by the collar, his teeth gritted. "Don't you _evah _call me a bug!" He then shoved him back down to the ground.

Fyter and Nick rushed over as Pugg got to his feet, still scowling down at the treacherous old man with his fists raised. "C'mon! _Get up! _I gots sum _more _for ya!"

"I'd say he's done for the moment, master munchkin." Fyter noted. "What roused you from your sleep?"

"I wuz _thoisty_." Pugg replied. "I'm goin' in ta gets me a drink a' water." He thrust a finger towards Nick threateningly. "Don't youse go leavin' wittout me."

As Pugg stepped into the old man's house, Fyter looked to the tin emperor. "Do we take him to the Hip-po-gy-raf?"

"No." Nick replied. "We're bringing him to Ozma. This man requires judgment. Fortunately, the judgment of the princess Ozma may be felt during the night, as well as the day. As a fairy, her kind never sleeps. Bring him to the tin carriage. Never take your eyes off him."

Fyter nodded. "We should restrain him, too."

Nick fashioned bindings from items of cloth he found in the house, and Fyter used them to tie Jed's wrists together very tightly behind him.

Once they had Jed's wrists secured, Pugg had gotten his drink, and re-joined the others in the tin carriage. Fyter noticed that he had soup stains around his mouth as well.

Stopping at Pugg's hut to return him to his home, the gruff munchkin secured a spoken vow of silence from the tin men about his whereabouts, and then moved back into his home.

Realizing that Summa had been left there, the tin men waited.

Pugg then stepped out, struggling and groaning with a sleeping Summa Cumlaude in his arms. Fyter, restraining a fit of laughter, hurried out to bring the snoring Vice Headmistress into the tin carriage.

"I hope I _nevah see dat tramp again!_" Pugg roared. "Da place stinks o' _poifume _now!"

Pugg continued to gripe as the carriage rolled away from his home. The munchkin eventually tired of his own tirades, and collapsed into his hammock.

* * *

It was well into the evening by the time the tin carriage rolled into the Emerald City(after they had left the very tired Summa Cumlaude, at her request, on the yellow brick road back to Munchkinland). Jedediah Loon had been brought to the Royal Palace, still unconscious from Pugg's blow, where Ozma and Polychrome were waiting for them. They had Omby Amby, who was on night watch, hasten the group in.

Around the time the treacherous old man began to stir out of his unconsciousness, Nick had already explained everything about Jed's treachery, and his unwillingness to feed the hungry Hip-po-gy-raf.

Jed's eyesight sharpened on the image of an upset fairy princess staring down at him with a _very _intimidating gaze. In his vision, it seemed as if her eyes were bloodshot as she fixed her unpleasant and intense gaze upon him.

"Because of you…" Ozma began, seeming to hold back a wellspring of anger. "…a young girl, who is not of our lands, has suffered." She began pacing slowly around him. "Because of you…others who _are _of our lands have been deceived, and have suffered for far longer than _she_ has! Because of you…your own family…your own _blood_…" She thrust out the head of her golden wand towards Jed in emphasis. "…_suffers!_"

Jed recoiled at the thrust of the wand, but no magical effects could be seen, nor felt. He nevertheless remained silent.

The head of the wand went to the Magic Picture. "Do you know what this is? It was a keepsake of my father, the former king of Oz. With it, I can see anyone or anything whom I know by name, Jedediah Loon. No matter where you are, or what you do, you can _no longer_ evade my notice." She then stepped over to the neutral image within the picture's radium frame. "Magic Picture…show me the barn of Jedediah Loon."

The image of the empty barn then manifested in the picture as the old man watched. Ozma then turned her eyes back to Jed. "What I do now is certainly not for _your_ sake, but for those who have suffered at your hands. Suffering that you shall never again repeat."

The head of the wand now began to glow with a bright golden light, and when she slowly passed the wand over the image, all gazing upon the image saw that the barn was filling itself with hay and straw, massing low upon the ground first, and then building from this thin foundation to fill every inch of the barn's interior, every strand of hay and straw magically replicating in less than a second.

As they continued to gaze upon the freshly-filled barn, they saw a large, long-necked and familiar-looking creature materialize beside the barn. He brought his mouth upon the hay and straw and began to hungrily dine upon it. Jed scowled irritably as the Hip-po-gy-raf continued his meal.

"You will keep that barn filled with hay from now on. Nick and his friend will inform the Hip-po-gy-raf accordingly." Ozma commanded. "Locasta, the Good Witch of the North, shall also be informed of this. If you fail to maintain a full supply of hay, and be advised that I _will _know, for I will be checking up on you, Locasta will have you sent to the lair of the creature himself."

The old man did not seem to react with any sense of inconvenience to the proclamation of the fairy princess. As Ozma spoke, however, Polychrome stepped behind Jed's kneeling form. The blond fairy then closed her eyes and passed a slender hand over him. Once Ozma finished her proclamation, her hands went to his neck. Her fingers slipped beneath his collar before he realized it…

…and she pulled up a necklace he had been hiding beneath his nightclothes. Upon this beaded necklace was a single pink pearl.

"Wha…_hey! _Give that back! That's an heirloom!" Jedediah cried out as Polychrome gazed deeply upon the pearl. "_Please! _I beg you! I will do whatever you wish! Just…give that back!"

"I think not, Jedediah Loon." Polychrome replied. "As a consequence of your cruelty, you have now forfeited your magical safeguard." She then presented it to Ozma. "It is a rare pearl of Pingaree, your majesty. The one who keeps it on his or her person is given a boon of protection from harm, even that which is magical in nature."

"Which means that you are no longer immune to the Hip-po-gy-raf's curse." Fyter noted.

Jed now hung his head in despair, sighing out soundly. "And…where am I…to find…"

"Should you have difficulties in procuring hay, you can come before me, and I will see what can be done." Ozma assured. "But what you have seen me do tonight is a boon that will _not_ be repeated." She then turned to Nick and Fyter. "I might recommend that you head back out to the lair of the creature at once. Hopefully, you will have enough space in the tin carriage to bring everyone the creature releases from its spell back safely."

"Actually, I might recommend that a few taxis be sent." Nick advised. "There were a _lot _of bodies out there."

Ozma nodded, smiling. "I will have as many as I can send make their way there in the morning."

* * *

It was still very late in the evening when Nick and Fyter returned to the landmass where the Hip-po-gy-raf, who was now quite well fed, extended its neck and allowed the pair of tin men to sit upon his large head so he could carry them across. He dropped them right in front of where Betsy continued to writhe, and puff in short breaths.

"You have fed me." The creature remarked. "Further, you have revealed that there was more to the man who sent the tin soldier, and all of these others. Now I shall prove that I am true to my own word."

The creatured closed his eyes. The next words out of the mouth of the Hip-po-gy-raf were unintelligible by human standards, but it generated a reaction in each and every one of the bodies around it, including Betsy's. A wisp of the glowing green mist began to emerge from every orifice on Betsy's head, and those of the bloated bodies around the creature. Then, more mist began expelling from the bodies, and their obscenely bloated frames began to diminish in their roundness. The process was slow, at first, but the process gradually quickened until every bit of the glowing green mist had left their now normal-sized bodies. The released mists then evaporated.

Betsy, and all the others, rose up in a severe daze, panting heavily. They also looked quite pale. Some of them could not even get up, as they felt very weak, but they were at least fully restored.

The Hip-po-gy-raf explained this. "They will require food. The nourishment of the curse has left them. A full meal will restore their strength and their vitality. They must be fed within a day."

Nick nodded. "It should be a few hours until morning. I can have the princess Ozma arrange a special breakfast banquet for them all."

Ozma and Polychrome, watching the moment through the Magic Picture, sighed in relief upon seeing the bodies being restored.

The creature nodded back. "Then our business is done. I greatly thank you for addressing the matter of my hunger. I feel it shall no longer be necessary for me to inflict the Curse of Mass upon anyone any further."

"Unless Jedediah Loon betrays his word, of course." Fyter mused.

In the next hour, Nick and Fyter began helping all the people who had been freed from the curse who had trouble moving on their own. Those who did not were moving fairly slowly, owing to their lack of energy. Eventually, they were all brought over to where the tin carriage had been parked.

Betsy wearily looked up to Nick as he tended to her. "N…Nimmie."

"We can pick up on that when you're recovered from this, Betsy." Nick assured as he picked her body up and moved into the tin carriage's passenger area. "I'm going to take you to a very special friend of mine before I take everyone else to the Emerald City. She's going to take very good care of you, and she will particularly address your hunger. For now, I need you to rest easy."

"Wh…who is she?"

Nick smiled. "Ever heard the name 'Dorothy Gale' before?"

Betsy nodded, smiling, as she was laid upon a seat. Several others from the central landmass filled the remaining seats. Some had passed out, and others were quite groggy. Once the carriage was filled to capacity, the carriage began rolling away from the Hip-po-gy-raf's lair.

The carriage's first stop, true to Nick's word, was the home of the munchkin tutor who had once been a brave human girl from Kansas. Although Dorothy had been roused from her deep sleep, she nevertheless accepted Betsy into her home, and was already eager to tend to her in the morning. As the tin carriage began its journey out of Munchkinland, traveling along the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, Dorothy laid Betsy across a couch and settled a long, warm blanket she had created a year ago over her. One of the couch's cushions easily served as a perfectly adequate pillow, and Betsy was able to lapse into a deep sleep.

Dorothy returned to her own bed, and was quick to return to her own dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Obviously, there was a bit of a difference between the original Hip-po-gy-raf(introduced in _The Tin Woodman of Oz_) and _this _story's version of the creature.**

**Hope you enjoyed it regardless! :)**


	8. VIII: Educational Affairs

Tables and chairs had been set up outside the Emerald City's Royal Palace by the night-shift maids, and the banquet that began at sunrise had the recovering people that had been freed from the Curse of Mass grabbing the available plates and getting on the line for food. A variety of breakfast offerings…from grain cereals to scrambled eggs…were among the delicious, well-cooked morning meals available.

When Betsy's eyes finally fluttered open, it was to the sight of a small, panting, black-haired cairn terrier, wagging his tail as he gazed curiously back at her.

A round-bodied munchkin girl in a blue and white dress stepped in front of the dog and quickly crouched down so her eager eyes met Betsy's. "HEY!"

Betsy gasped in surprise.

The pudgy, knobby-nosed face with the spiral sideburns giggled sweetly. "Good morning, sleepy-head! Feel up for some breakfast?" Dorothy chimed.

Betsy could already smell the heavy scent of food as she slowly rose to a sitting position on the couch. Her stomach murmured its complaints as she squinted over to Dorothy, who was already hurrying over to where she had been baking. There were already a variety of foods upon the nearby table, all of it untouched.

"Emperor Nick brought you to the right place, Betsy!" Dorothy chimed, her body a whirlwind of eager activity. "I've got all sorts of food here, and all of it fresh and _delicious! _Herku Crumpets, Southwest Munchkinland Meatstalk Sausages, Blue Harvest Porridge, even some old favorites like flap-jacks and scrambled eggs! I have warm muffins and plenty of butter, too! There should be some toast there as well, if you prefer that to muffins! You dig right in, Betsy…all this is for you! And whatever you don't take, _I'll_ just help myself to!" She then looked down to Toto, who had padded up to her expectantly. "Oh, don't you worry, Toto...I haven't forgotten about _you, _either! Just give me a moment to get a few of your favorite veggies together!"

As Dorothy began preparing Toto's own breakfast at her brisk and practiced pace, gleefully humming a tune as she worked, Betsy finally rose and surveyed the meals, ultimately picking the golden brown Herku Crumpets. She smoothed one of the neatly-cut squares of butter over it, carved out a portion of it, and put it in her mouth.

Such was the satisfying taste of the crumpet that Betsy finished it quickly, moving on to other breakfast items as Dorothy watched with pride, giggling at how voracious Betsy seemed to be as she helped herself to the food the smiling munchkin had provided.

Dorothy also picked out her own breakfast from the offerings…a bowl of Blue Harvest Porridge and a side plate of scrambled eggs…and gestured for Betsy to follow her to a table where they both settled in to eat their plated food. Dorothy rose again to pour them both a glass of the lacasa beverage. "If you try this, and you don't like it, I do have milk for you." Dorothy reminded, flashing her sweet smile.

The milk, however, was not needed, as Betsy herself became a fan of the tangy beverage the moment she sipped from it.

Dorothy smiled as she watched Betsy eat and drink. "So where did you come from, Betsy?"

Betsy had to swallow a mouthful of food before she replied. "I was born in Oklahoma."

Dorothy gasped. "_Oklahoma? _Why…that's not too far from _Kansas!_" The munchkin tutor exclaimed. "That's where _I _came from! Well…um…before I became what I am now, that is."

"How does it feel t' be a munchkin, Dor'thy?" Betsy then asked. "An' how long have y' been this way?"

"Oh, I've been like this for two years." Dorothy replied. "I did it because I had to fulfill an oath I made to an important group of munchkins called the Learning Guild. Later today, I'm going to finish my responsibility…but then, I have a much more important bit of educational work to do among the munchkins. I may need to stay this way…but the great thing about Oz is that no one can grow old unless they want to! You can't catch any diseases here, either. It really is an amazing and magical place!"

"Wow! To always be young?" Betsy exclaimed. "That sounds swell! But…well…your friends told me y' had problems with wicked witches once. I had problems o' my own, too. Last night, I was with a big ol' beast who made me so big an' fat, I couldn't move at all. I owe it t' Emp'ror Nick an' his friend, Fyter, for gettin' me outta that lil' jam."

"How does that compare to the life you had back in Oklahoma, though?" Dorothy asked in her concern. "We should figure out a way to get you back home to your parents. They must be worried sick about you!"

Betsy lowered her head. "I…I have no parents, Dor'thy. They're both gone. They were lost at sea."

Dorothy's eyes widened in her sympathy. "Oh, mercy me, Betsy…I'm so sorry!"

"I was sent to a real horrible orph'nage." Betsy then explained. "I had t' get away from there. That's how I wound up with Mist'r Diggs. I always wanted t' join a circus. Mist'r Diggs helped me get train'd up."

Dorothy smiled. "Oscar is a very, very special man around here. He once ruled the land of Oz. He was a bit of a humbug back then, but he was…and still is…a good man."

Betsy nodded in agreement. "An' now, Ozma's in charge. She seems awful nice, too, an' very beautiful."

Dorothy smiled. "Just wait until you meet all of my friends. They're just as special to me as Ozma is, and they're important people in Oz, too."

"Mist'r Diggs told me 'bout 'em." Betsy responded. "I know Nick, of course…is th' Lion still a Cow'rd?"

"Not since the Wizard gave him his badge of Courage!" Dorothy replied. "He put together a group of animals who go around and help people in the southern Quadling Country. They lend a hand wherever they can, wherever they go. They're called the Legion of Courage. The Lion and I have been so busy with our own things that I never got a chance to meet any of them, but from what I've heard, they're a really courageous bunch!"

"What about that Scarecrow?" Betsy then asked, taking in another forkful of the crumpets.

Dorothy smiled, her eyes thoughtfully lowering. "Of those three, he was the most special of them all, and he still is." Her eyes went back to Betsy. "He was the first one I had met after coming out of Munchkinland to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. We've been really close ever since." The munchkin took a napkin and wiped away excess syrup coming down one corner of Betsy's lips as she swallowed.

"An' he's real smart now?"

Dorothy nodded. "The smartest scarecrow in Oz, and a wonderful advisor to the princess Ozma."

Betsy, however, frowned in curiosity. "But Mist'r Diggs told me he left th' Scarecrow in charge of Oz when he left. What happen'd?"

The munchkin tutor shrugged, smiling. "He didn't _want_ to be a ruler anymore. When Ozma was found, he willingly gave up the throne so she could inherit her birthright."

Betsy nodded. "Do y' think he could've been a good King?"

Dorothy gave this a bit of silent thought. Eventually, however, she nodded. "Yes, I do. But, he felt he could be an even _better _advisor, and he's _very_ content at being that."

The hungry Oklahoma girl swallowed another forkful of her crumpet before speaking. "Seems kinda strange t' see men made o' tin, an' scarecrows that move an' talk."

Dorothy nodded. "I was just like the Scarecrow once myself, too."

Betsy's eyes went wide. "_Really? _You were, like, stuff'd with hay?"

Dorothy giggled at this. "Well, more like _cotton, _actually. I was turned into a stuffed girl in a patchwork quilt by a wicked witch named Mombi. The Scarecrow and I had ourselves another little adventure when I was stuck like that. Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, had been turned into a marble statue. We had to get an antidote to the effect mixed together so we could free her from the spell."

Betsy nodded. "If you two were close, he must've really liked you bein' like that."

Dorothy nodded thoughtfully, smiling over the reminiscence. "A part of me didn't want to change back. We had really happy nights together, too. Since I didn't need to eat or sleep, and nothing could really hurt me…well, except fire, of course…we just had the happiest of times together."

Betsy tilted her head curiously. "So why'd y' change back?"

"Well, Glinda doesn't like transformation magic very much." Dorothy replied. "She doesn't really like me being a munchkin, either, but she understood that this is to fulfill an oath I had made. She also saw that I was happy with it. I guess it's easier for her to tolerate someone who's happy with a transformation than it is for her to see someone who never wanted it."

"That makes sense." Betsy noted. "What happen'd t' Mombi?"

"Glinda made her drink a potion which removed her knowledge of magic." Dorothy answered. "Ozma still keeps an eye on her, though, using the Magic Picture. She hasn't been any kind of threat for two years, but Ozma won't take any chances, and you shouldn't when you deal with a witch like Mombi."

Betsy nodded in understanding. She then ventured another curious thought, and one Dorothy did not expect. "Do y' think Glinda would mind if _I_ wanted t' be a munchkin, like you?"

Dorothy giggled over this notion. "Knowing her, she might. I think if you had a justifiable reason to be one, she'd be a little more willing to let you stay that way. But I think she'd be happier knowing you were the human girl you were born to be!"

"I dunno…" Betsy mused. "…I kinda liked bein' th' Queen o' Diamonds."

"Oh, that's _right! _You were the same girl from the Wizard's performance!" Dorothy exclaimed. "Oh, Betsy, you were _wonderful! _That was a _great_ show!"

Betsy blushed at the praise. "Thanks! Yeah…I learn'd a lot from the circus people. It's really help'd me for more than jus' circus acts, too. Sometimes, when I'm leapin' about, it really _does _feel like I'm flyin'."

Dorothy smiled. "I can imagine!"

Betsy then rose from her seat, stepping over to the round-bodied munchkin. "I'm glad Nick brought me t' you, Dor'thy. I really like you. I hope I see you again sometime. Right now, I wanna go back t' Nick an' finish what we started."

Dorothy rose from her seat as well, although she had a more curious expression. "What were you doing, if I may ask?"

"We're tryin' t' find a munchkin girl named Nimmie Amee." Betsy replied.

"Nimmie? Hmmm…" Dorothy began to think back to all the times she engaged in gossip with other munchkins in the past two years. She _did _hear someone mention that name, and she tried to recollect what she had been told. "…from what I remember others telling me, she lives alone. Yes…that's it. Near the desert border, and on the other side of Mount Munch. It should be the only home in the area."

Betsy nodded. "I'll r'memb'r t' tell Nick when I see him! Thanks so much!" She then wrapped her arms around Dorothy's round body, squeezing affectionately as the giggling munchkin wrapped her own arms around Betsy's body. "An' thanks for all th' food. I feel so much bett'r now. I should come by again for dinn'r sometime soon!"

"You'll always be welcome in my home, Betsy." Dorothy kissed the Oklahoma girl's forehead. "Good luck in finding Nimmie, and please send Nick my regards as well."

"I will! Bye!" She headed for the door and opened it, but stopped and turned back to her smiling hostess. "Oh…I forgot t' tell you. You look real cute as a munchkin, Dor'thy."

Dorothy blushed at this. "Thank you, Betsy."

Her smile lingered long after Betsy had closed the door behind her. It was only when Toto licked at the munchkin's fingers that she diverted her attention to dealing with the untouched food offerings she had laid out.

A few minutes later, another knock at Dorothy's door announced the presence of another visitor to her home…

…and this visitor just happened to be the Mayor of Munchkinland himself. "Good morning, dearest Miss Dorothy. Is that an abundance of breakfast I smell? Might I help myself to some of it? There are various civic matters I should like to get an opinion from you on."

Dorothy giggled. "Of course, your honor. Do come in. I was just entertaining a guest, but she just left. Help yourself to whatever you wish."

"Much obliged, beloved Ministress." He stepped into the house and fixed himself a bowl of the Blue Harvest Porridge, settling himself into the couch while Dorothy lowered herself into her favorite comfy chair, which she moved to a position adjacent to the couch.

Boq crunched upon a spoonful of the Porridge. "Delectable. Most delectable indeed." He appraised. "Now…where to begin?"

* * *

"Are you _sure _you don't want to join us and see Nimmie?" Nick asked the tin soldier as they observed the ongoing breakfast banquet outside the Royal Palace.

"I'm afraid my conviction on this matter is solid, your highness." Fyter replied. "Besides…I think I'd like to keep an eye on ol' Jedediah Loon. Make sure he lives up to his word. As I'm sure you know by now, he can't be trusted at all."

Nick thought on this. "You know what you should do? Pay a visit to the palace of Locasta, the Good Witch of the North. She has a mirror that functions in much the same way as the Magic Picture. As I understand it, the gillikin militia…they're called the Purple Heart Patrol…might be looking for men like yourself as well. Perhaps you can establish a patrol route near Jed's farm."

"More men to get into fighting shape? Sounds like an enticing offer, your majesty." Fyter responded. "I will definitely consider it." He then extended a tin-plated hand for Nick to grasp. "It was an honor to finally meet you, my friend. May we work together again on more than one occasion."

"You will always be welcome in the Winkie Country, Captain." Nick smiled as he shook the tin soldier's hand. Fyter then began heading for the north gate of the Emerald City. Nick's gaze upon him lingered until he felt a knock upon his tin torso from behind him.

"Ah, Betsy." Nick smiled when he saw the Oklahoma girl's face smiling up at him. "It looks like Captain Fyter will not be joining us. Are you ready to head back out with me to find Nimmie?"

"I'll do bett'r than that, your highness." Betsy replied. "Dor'thy gave me a few tips on how we could reach 'er. She's near th' des'rt border, an' on the oth'r side o' Mount Munch."

Nick's eyes widened. "Did she? Well! That will certainly make our search easier, eh?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Betsy looked to the people eating at the banquet. "How're they doin'?"

"Oh, I imagine they're getting better by the minute. Jellia has a _lot _of food out there." Nick replied.

"So did Dor'thy." Betsy noted. "She's a real good cook. I wanna visit her again for dinn'r sometime. I really like her."

Nick placed an arm around Betsy's shoulders as they began moving to where the tin carriage had been parked. "You're definitely not alone, my friend."

Although they felt a little sad for leaving Captain Fyter behind, they understood that whatever his reasons were, they did not wish to dispute it. They stepped into the tin carriage, which had been polished and cleaned since it had arrived in the city, and it rolled towards the east gate, coming out onto the yellow brick road as it began its journey back to Munchkinland.

As they reached the gate area leading out of the Emerald City, however, Nick saw a couple of familiar faces that compelled him to slow the carriage to a halt.

One of them was the green-garbed, and typically jovial, Guardian of the Gates.

The other was Prime Minister Gruf, who had his hands behind him.

The Guardian, however, had his hands raised in his want to bring the vehicle to a halt as he approached the driver side. "_Hooooold_ on there, your majesty. Seems we have ourselves a breach of personal pride on your part!"

Nick frowned in confusion. "Um…how do you mean?"

Gruf then stepped over. "How are you to engage in your personal matters, my Emperor, if you do not have…_this_…on your person?"

Gruf produced the Emperor's axe from behind his back, which since Nick had become the ruler of the winkies had been decoratively encrusted with firmly-embedded emeralds and yellow opals.

Nick had to chuckle at his oversight. "I _knew_ I had forgotten something when I left the tin palace. Thank you, Gruf."

With his head bowed, Nick's smiling prime minister held the axe's handle out for his emperor to grasp and pull into the driver area.

The Guardian then gestured to the gate. "_Now _you can go!"

Betsy gazed at the eye-catching design of the axe in awe as they rolled past the gates and onto the vibrantly yellow-colored lane.

"It will always be a reminder as to where I came from, Betsy." Nick remarked. "I've been thinking about having a strap attached to it so I can go hands-free."

"How 'bout puttin' the axe handle shape in your back?" Betsy suggested. "You could jus' snap it in your back then."

"Hmmm…that's a pretty good idea, Betsy!" Nick replied. "I'll give that some thought. Maybe Ku-Klip can alter my back accordingly."

Betsy then made her way back to the passenger area…and noticed that one of the seat areas seemed to have a strange bundle of fabrics in the space in front of and below the seat.

A patchwork quilt-styled bundle of fabrics.

The Oklahoma girl tilted her head curiously, moving forward to touch this bundle. Her first thought was that someone had, for some reason, left their laundry in…

"Ka-_BOOOEY!_"

Betsy shrieked, seeing the bundle burst from its idle cube-like shape to become a fully-formed humanoid with flat coat buttons for eyes, pearls for teeth, gold discs for ears, and strands of knitting yarn for hair! Her entire body, and the dress she wore, was created entirely from a multicolored patchwork quilt fabric. She was a veritable explosion of colors as she spun in place with balletic grace, announcing her presence in her usual lyrical habit.

_Whoop and WHEE! Scraps is here!  
__So flash a smile an' give a big cheer!_

Scraps then flourished, expectantly, to Betsy, who was still a little stunned by the rather explosive shock of the patchwork girl's self-revelation. She froze in place, apparently awaiting a reaction from the Oklahoma girl.

"U…um…" Betsy began. "…yay?"

"Oh, POO." Betsy pouted, her stuffed patchwork hands on her hips. "You could've done better than THAT!"

The tin carriage had come to a halt once again as Nick left his driving area to get a curious glimpse at their stowaway.

Once Scraps spotted the tin emperor, she fired a finger out to him. "TOOT-TOOT!" She hurried over to Nick, leaping into the tin man's arms as she giggled. "How's it goin' there, tootie-toot?"

Betsy arched an eyebrow. "'Toot-toot'?"

"Mm-hmm!" Scraps replied, turning her button eyes back to Betsy. "He does this neat trick with that funnel cap up there on his tin dome!" Her head then turned back to Nick. "Wanna show us? C'moooon. I know ya wanna…yes ya do…yes ya wanna…c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon…"

"Well…we're kinda-sorta in the middle of a personal trip here, Scraps…"

"JUST ONCE! C'mooon! Don't be such a tin fuddsy!" Scraps protested. "I ain't lettin' ya go 'till ya toot! Betcha can't drive nowhere with a patchwork girl hangin' on to your head!"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Oh, okay…but only because Betsy hasn't seen it. Then we need to get right back out on the road."

Scraps hurried over behind Betsy, wrapping her cotton-stuffed arms playfully around the Oklahoma girl's shoulders and placing her soft chin on Betsy's right shoulder. "Watch _this!_"

Chuckling, Nick arched an arm, clenched a fist, and then brought it down in a pumping fashion twice. For each pump, a puff of smoke…and an accompanying 'toot' noise…emerged from the small mouth of the funnel.

Betsy giggled at this, pleasantly surprised at this trick.

"Pretty cute, eh?" Scraps giddily remarked. "If someone turned him into a train engine, he'd be called Nick Choo-Choo!"

Nick rolled his eyes again, somewhat embarrassed by the notion. "Shouldn't you be helping Margolotte out with things, Scraps?"

"BAH! I've done plenty with her as it is!" Scraps replied. "I'm takin' a lil' break! Where ya goin', anyway?"

"We're goin' t' find a friend o' Nick's." Betsy responded. "Her name's Nimmie Amee."

"Ooh!" The patchwork girl's expression lit up considerably as she looked back to Nick. "Tin girl, eh?"

Nick had to chuckle at that. "Noooo, no. Nimmie's a munchkin, actually. Just like I used to be before…well…you know."

Scraps tilted her head to the side in her puzzlement. She then reacted in vivid understanding, having been told the unpleasant story by the Scarecrow. "Ohhhhh, yeah, right, right. That…yucky witch thing." She mimed cuts at her joints in illustration of this. "Gosh…do you think she'd mind you bein' a tin man? I mean…you're not exactly munchkin-sized now."

"Oh, but I actually saw her once the way I am now." Nick explained. "She told me herself how handsome I looked as a tin man. Back then, I wished I had a heart so I could feel the warmth that goes with hearing something like that."

"And ya wanna feel that warmth _again,_ don'cha?" Scraps cooed. She then pranced around romantically. "Ahhhh…de _looooooove_…an' you know what happens when it's love plus love!" The patchwork girl spun in place, and then stopped right in front of Betsy, grasping her hand and lowering to a knee, looking up at her with as affectionate a gaze as a patchwork girl like her could display. "Will you marry me, Betsy-boo?"

Betsy giggled wildly at this. "I think y' jus' became my new best friend, Scraps!"

"_WHEEEEE!_ SHE SAID YES!" Scraps exclaimed, dancing wildly around the passenger area. "Scarecrow can be my best man, an' Nick can be the maid of…" She stopped dancing, suddenly perplexed. "…wait a minute. That didn't sound right…"

Yet Betsy giggled all the more over the patchwork girl's manner of wild whimsy. Nick shook his head, although he, too, was smiling. "You were never one for dignity, Scraps."

Scraps shook her head. "Never have been, an' never will be!" She then fired a stuffed finger to the Oklahoma girl. "Now _get in a seat, _Betsy-boo!"

Betsy nodded and settled into a seat, after which Scraps settled right into Betsy's lap. "There! Now get this bucket o' tin bolts _movin'_, Tootles!" the patchwork girl then commanded.

And once again, the carriage began moving once Nick was secure in his seat and working the controls. Scraps seemed to be sitting idly and contentedly for once…

…but at one point during the trip she shot a finger out again, looking dreadfully serious, towards the rear window of the tin carriage's passenger area. "Omigosh! What's _that?_"

Betsy gasped, jerking her head to where Scraps had indicated…

…but saw nothing other than the portions of the yellow brick road that they were rolling past.

Scraps raised her stuffed hands into the air exultantly. "MADE YA LOOK!"

* * *

Jellia Jamb had the help of a fellow maid named Tuppence in their daily maintenance of the many rooms in the Emerald City's royal palace, tending to the quarters next to a suite of reserved rooms that had gone untouched for two years. The quarters in question had been used the night before by a very tired visitor who called himself a 'skeezer'. The room had been left in a somewhat dissheveled state, and they were in the process of restoring it to its previously immaculate state. Clean sheets had been snapped out, and the maids made certain that the draping lengths of the sheets were equal on both sides of the bed before moving on.

Tuppence diverted to polishing work as she spoke. "Who is that suite being reserved for, Jellia?"

The head maid began sweeping the floors, using a broom that had been enchanted by Ozma to be as effective as a modern vacuum cleaner, collecting any and all dust upon the floors, rugs, and carpets the broom head passed over. "Oh, that suite was given to Dorothy Gale back when the Scarecrow was king. When Dorothy finishes with her two-year tutelage of Tula, which should actually be sometime this week, the princess Ozma will restore her human form, and she'll be moving back here from the Munchkinland home Locasta gave her."

"That's not what I heard." Tuppence countered. "Apparently, Dorothy was given a special honor by the Mayor of Munchkinland. Some 'Ministress' title or something. She may want to remain a munchkin for a little while longer."

This was apparently news to Jellia. "_Really? _Wow! Well…she does look really cute as a munchkin…but then, she also looked good as a patchwork doll."

Tuppence nodded. "They can change the body as often as they can, but it's still our national hero…our great champion from Kansas…deep down inside, right?"

Jellia smiled at that. "Always. Go ahead and start on the next room, Tuppence. I'll finish up in here."

"Yes, ma'am." Tuppence gave a curtsey and departed as Jellia moved into the room's lavatory, beginning her customary cleaning work. Customary to the head maid's routine, she went over everything a second time before feeling content that it was ready for a new occupant.

Satisfied, she went for the room's front door.

"_WHY _MUST YOU DO THAT, SERVANT GIRL?"

Jellia collapsed to the ground in utter shock, completely unprepared to see the head of the great and powerful Wizard of Oz suddenly materialize upon the face of the door! Her eyes boggled as the imposing green head glowered down upon Jellia.

"WHY MUST YOU DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR OWN WORK?" The head roared, in the Wizard's unmistakable voice. "HAVE YOU NO FAITH IN YOUR OWN SUPERIOR ABILITIES? IS THERE NOT A REASON YOU ARE THE HEAD MAID OF THE EMERALD CITY?"

Jellia, however, rose to her feet with a frown on her face, more or less recovered from the terrible shock that sent her to the ground. Her fists clenched as she spoke. "It is _because _I am the head maid that I must make _absolutely certain _that each and every room I work on is as immaculate as it can be before I leave it! I do have _standards_ to uphold, Mister Diggs!"

The head grew larger now as the eyes on the green head now flared with anger. "YOU _DARE _TAKE SUCH A DEFIANT TONE WITH THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ?" The voice imposingly boomed.

Although Jellia still could not help but recoil a bit at such outbursts, she nevertheless held her ground, speaking with a playfully defiant sneer. "I do! No matter how much better you get as a wizard, Mister Diggs."

"HMPH! WHIPPERSNAPPER!" The head then protested, shrinking to its initial size. "VERY WELL…KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, SERVANT GIRL! AS YOU WERE!"

"Tell Glinda you deserve to be turned into a _toad _for giving me such a fright!" Jellia griped as she once again began going over her work. The illusionary green head…this one generated by very real illusion magic…slowly disappeared.

Maids gathered outside the room Jellia had been working on were muttering over the sudden outbursts within the room. They certainly recognized the voice of the Wizard of Oz, but never expected to hear it anywhere other than the throne room where the large green head customarily materialized before his visitors.

"_Back to work!_"

The group of maids immediately dispersed upon hearing Jellia's loud voice.

* * *

Within Glinda's Palace, Oscar Diggs turned from the crystal ball to the Good Witch of the South with a giddy grin on his face. "I _did it! _Transmission of a sustained illusion upon a door from a distance!"

Glinda nodded, smiling. "And a considerably displeased head maid who thinks you should be a toad."

"Oh, come on. The great and powerful Oz has a reputation to uphold!" Oscar reasoned. "Besides…you saw Jellia's reaction! She stood her ground admirably. She used to shrink and cower, just like everyone else that came before my all-powerful head."

"I should think that is because you are no longer the ruler of the land, Mister Diggs." Glinda reminded, still smiling amusedly. "In fact, I believe she is aware that you are now my apprentice."

Oscar nodded. His right hand then went to his head as he was hit with a sudden dizzy spell. "Oh! All that mental exertion on that illusion…seems I may need a little more exercise."

Glinda shrugged, maintaining her pleasant manner. "You know what to do in the face of over-exertion, Mister Diggs." She then stepped behind the old man and rubbed her hands along the sleeves of his coat. "Relax those arms, apprentice. Cloooose the eyes, and take deeeeep breaths."

Oscar's eyes gently closed, and began inhaling slowly through his nose, and then out through his mouth. "Thaaat's it, Oscar…deeeep breaths…in through the nose, out through the mouth. Fresh air in through here," she tapped his nose lightly with a finger. "tense air out from there." She then tapped his round tummy. "Very good…Iiiiin…ooooout….iiiiiiin…oooooout…"

"OOOOOOOMMMMMM…" Oscar then deeply intoned, his eyes still closed in his apparent relaxation.

Glinda had heard Oscar intone this many times before during the relaxation practices she taught him, but did not say anything, finding it amusing. By now, however, she could not help but be curious. "Er…Mister Diggs, might I ask why you find that particular intonation very necessary when it would be far more effective for you to relax _silently?_"

Oscar opened his eyes wide in his surprise. "I am told that such an intonation is a word of power where I come from! My own highly-esteemed trainers in my early days of wiza…um, well, _sleight-of-hand_…all the stress of concentration upon every occasion of my tricks, even the ventriloquistic arts, is made to leave the body upon a spirited intonation of the almighty 'OM'."

Glinda nodded, still smiling amusedly. "I cannot help but wonder what manner of trainers you had. Whether they were jainists, hinduists…perhaps even buddhists?"

"Oh, trust me. I've learned from _all kinds _of 'ists' when I was younger, Glinda." Oscar assured, fairly certain she could easily see through whatever fabrications he could conjure about his past, but holding to his habits anyway. "I've even performed before highly-enlightened dignitaries in my formative years as well, and it was upon one such visit to a faraway land that I discovered that the almighty 'OM' is a phonetic representation of three powerful deities!"

Glinda nodded again. "One for each letter of the actual phonetic pronounciation."

Oscar frowned in confusion. "O…and M?"

Glinda giggled at this. "A, U, and M, actually. A, for the creation that spreads from the golden nucleus of Brahma, U is for Vishnu, promoting preservation through the balance of Brahma on a lotus, and M is Shiva, who stirs when Brahma slumbers. At least, according to one interpretation of Puranic Hinduism, although there are differing views on the word's meaning depending on the culture which acknowledges and uses the word, Mister Diggs." Clearly, there was no fooling the most powerful sorceress in the land, Oscar mused to himself, but there was still, at least, some truth to his own assessment. "Nevertheless, I might note that while it is truthfully unnecessary to call upon the 'AUM' in restoring your personal reserves of strength, I suppose we can leave its utterance to your own discretion, apprentice."

As Glinda spoke, one of the many red-garbed handmaidens stepped into the chamber and waited. Once the Good Witch of the South caught sight of her through her peripheral vision, she turned to the patient handmaiden. "Milady Glinda…you have a visitor. I believe it is Professor Nowitall's thoroughly educated associate."

"Ah! The Wogglebug. Do send him up, Sandrine, thank you." The handmaiden curtsied low in her acknowledgement and then departed as Glinda turned back to Oscar. "I may need an outside-world perspective on this if the subject the good Professor wishes to propose is what I believe it will be. I ask that you listen in on this, apprentice."

Oscar nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I have a feeling this will _definitely_ be an educational matter." A thought then occurred to him as they waited. "Speaking of educational matters…what's this I hear about a new 'Ministress of Educational Affairs' in Munchkinland?"

Glinda had to deflect this concern for the obvious reasons. "Your lessons in magic are far too important, Oscar, to divert to such concerns. Think of this as our way of taking a temporary break from your lessons."

Sandrine led the well-dressed insectoid Professor over to the large chamber where Glinda had been training Oscar, and the gentlemanly scholar bowed courteously. "Salutations, most benevolent sorceress of the south lands. I come before you with a most important matter which I believe your boundless wisdom could address to my satisfaction."

Glinda nodded. "Please, do share your matter with my apprentice and I."

One of his insectoid hands went into one of the pockets of his coat…

…and pulled out two different-colored silken cloths. With one in each hand, he held them up. "Each combination of a coat and a waistcoat demands the perfect Croatian cravat. Striped red, or checkered black and gold? What do you think?"

Both Glinda and Oscar seemed to blink, in disbelief, at the same time. Their receptive expressions seemed frozen.

"Perhaps a dollop of symbolized hypothesis?" The Professor then held up the checkered cravat. "Regally casual. When one seeks to be regarded as eminent, perhaps. Or…" He then held up the striped red cravat. "…afire and aflame with the wisdom of the ages! If not to be considered a most aggressive mind. I suppose if the color was a bit more vibrant…"

Professor Wogglebug now saw the somewhat bewildered expressions on the faces of Glinda and Oscar, and he could not help but be a bit confused. "…um, perhaps…an entirely different style, altogether? Or color?"

Glinda smiled. "I do beg your pardon, Professor. It seems a most unusual question from one so…so _gifted_ in educational pursuits. Munchkinland has an entire guild formed towards the pursuit of endowing its young with an educational basis, for one."

"Yes, yes…I did pay a visit to this guild. I was asked to test the one they now call the Ministress. However…I should thank you for reminding me on this matter, as I did feel that I needed to discuss at length with you on the shortcomings of such an approach."

Oscar seemed surprised at this. "Pursuit of the zenith presented by the earning of a diploma is of considerable importance even in the world from which _I _have come, Professor! Although the path is understandably time-consuming…"

"Alas! Therein lies the rib, Mr. Diggs. _Time._" The Professor interjected. "I have noted that more than a handful of the munchkins are…underdeveloped. When one considers that which the benefits of a more _physical_ upbringing offer, the tedium that goes into the disciplined development of an education pales in importance. Particularly in the knowledge of your lands recently emerging from a rather torrid age of death and despair, yes?"

Glinda nodded, becoming a little more curious as to whatever proposal the Professor might make. "The reign of the witch-sisters, yes."

Oscar also nodded. "A reign which ended upon the arrival of a certain brave young girl from Kansas, I might add."

"Ah, yes. Resilient little munchkin, that one." The Wogglebug replied. Glinda couldn't help but feel the stab of that hint of the situation Dorothy was in that she wanted to keep from Oscar, but she hoped he wouldn't pick up on that as the Professor continued. "What I might propose is, perhaps, the possibility of establishing a far more convenient means of proliferating the learning process so that time can be devoted to the development of physical skills. In my time with Professor Nowitall, I have become considerably well-acquainted with the inherent benefits of practicing a ritual commonly referred to in _your _world, Mr. Diggs, as 'sport'. Constant exercise of these competitive endeavors carry advantageous benefits, or such was the end result of my hypothesis on the matter."

"Hmmm…an emphasis on sport over education?" Oscar rubbed at his chin in contemplation of this. "I don't see the balance in that proposal, I'm afraid."

"Indeed." Glinda added. "One aspect would need to be simplified in some way."

Oscar arched an eyebrow. "Simplify education? Seems like an awfully radical proposal."

"One well worth exploring, I fancy, Mr. Diggs." The Wogglebug advised.

"One well worth putting our heads together about, as well." Glinda offered. She then turned her head to Oscar. "Particularly yours, Mr. Diggs. Your knowledge of the educational system outside of the nonestic lands would be most helpful in the development process, apprentice."

Oscar found the invitation to such a challenge compelling as he nodded. "I'm game. Let's get to ponderin'!"

"I do hope your own pondering proves useful, apprentice." Glinda mused. "I would hate to have to turn you into a toad, you know."

The Good Witch of the South could not help but giggle loudly over Oscar's initially fearful reaction to her obvious jest.

* * *

Nick kept the tin carriage rolling as Betsy and Scraps seemed to enjoy each other's company in the passenger area. For the most part, Betsy tried to keep the patchwork girl from becoming a bit too wild in her backseat behavior. The Oklahoma girl figured that a few games of patty-cake could keep her from becoming a little too erratic, and it more or less held her attention for the majority of the trip to Nimmie Amee's home.

But it was not so much Scraps as it was another unexpected matter that diverted attention from the journey. Deep within the forest that preceded Mount Munch, a cacophany of chittering and shrieking heralded a most unexpected presence.

Betsy wondered if whatever matter this was had anything to do with Woot, and she asked Nick to stop the carriage out of concern, although she was careful not to say anything about what had happened to the former gillikin boy.

When the Oklahoma girl stepped out and carefully crept close enough to be able to see what was going on in an open area of the forest, she found no green monkeys at all.

She did, however, see a great many monkeys with wings on their backs.

They were confronting a large ape who _also _had a pair of wings on his back, although his large wings…unlike the feathered ones of the monkeys he was confronting…resembled those of a bat.

Nick's eyes, however, widened when he saw one particular item, which was now in the hands of the ape.

It was the Golden Cap! The very same magic item which controlled the swarm of winged monkeys by reading an incantation within the cap and placing it on the head of the invoker, after which the entire menagerie of monkeys were bound to grant three wishes to the wearer. It had to be something that was within the power of the monkeys to grant, or such an errant wish would wasted.

Nick remembered this potent item to have been turned over to Glinda, who in turn surrendered it to the leader of the monkeys, effectively freeing them.

To see this cap in the hands of someone who quite clearly was not the king of the winged monkeys concerned Nick greatly. "We have to get that cap away from that ape!" Nick quietly remarked to Betsy. "I've got a bad feeling about that bat-winged simian."

They watched the ape place the cap on his head, and the monkeys recoiled in terror. Nick seemed to understand the possible conundrum here, though. It was entirely possible that the ape could not say the words necessary to invoke the cap's power over them.

The ape bellowed out a roar, and began pounding his chest in a demonstration of personal might as the monkeys remained fearful of the black-furred beast.

Thinking on the matter, Betsy began to smile deviously, and she looked to Scraps, speaking quietly. "Feel like playin' a game o' catch?"

Scraps tilted her stuffed head to the side curiously. Nick also turned his head to Betsy with a look of puzzlement.

Betsy then began moving, as quietly as she could, to a position behind the ape before Nick could voice his concerns for the girl's well-being.

She had found a large rock within the trees behind where the ape was continuing his attempts at intimidating the monkeys. Nick quickly went back to the tin carriage to retrieve his axe, hoping he would not need to use it.

The Oklahoma girl hoped this occasion would prove more rewarding than the last time she had hoped to use her athletic skills to impressive effect. As before, there was only one way to find out.

As she vaulted from the rock in her rush to its edge, she somersaulted and made a grab for the golden cap. Fortunately, she felt its soft material in her hands. The cap was hers!

When the bat-winged ape discovered that his head was now bare, he roared a bellow of challenge and upon spotting Betsy, he charged after her.

Nick's own charge rushed him right in front of the ape, and they collided with one another. The tin emperor rolled to the side and quickly rose to his feet, his axe still in his hands as Betsy, who was behind him, waved the hat around, hoping to divert the ape from the tin emperor.

"Come an' get it!" She called out.

Another roar…this one a more frustrated holler…preceded yet another charge, but Betsy was able to sidestep it capably. All around Betsy now, there were winged monkeys whose hands were in the air, and all of them looking at the Oklahoma girl, perhaps hoping that she would pass it to them.

As the ape turned to face Betsy, she saw her toss it as far up into the sky as she could…

…but despite the ape leaping to the skies and then going airborne to catch it, the monkeys were there first, and they began a passing game of their own.

Although this just served to make the ape more and more angry. At one point, he whirled out a strong arc of his fist, and it connected with one of the monkeys, who drifted to the ground in a daze from the hit.

Betsy dashed over to this battered monkey, who looked to the Oklahoma girl…and to her complete surprise, began to talk in a weary and weak tone. "Please…ape…must be…s..stopped!"

Betsy looked to Nick, who had also moved to where the monkey had landed. "How're we gonna knock that ape down?"

"Well…only thing I can think of is cutting a tree, but I'd have to be sure it's going to drop down on him." Nick replied. "It's not in my nature to hurt animals, no matter how bad they are. Knocking them unconscious, I don't have a problem with. Don't ask me to chop that ape up, though. I won't do it."

"There's gotta be _some _way!" Betsy protested. "Isn't there anythin'…any _place,_ maybe…that we can lead 'im to?"

Nick then remembered that they were in Munchkinland territory, and it was in Munchkinland territory that there was a place living things have avoided since the Wicked Witch of the West permanently cursed them with a spell intended to prevent Dorothy Gale from reaching the Emerald City.

"Poppies. Yes!" Nick's expression brightened visibly. "The poppies will put him right to sleep! We can lead that ape right on over to the poppy fields. They put any living thing to sleep. We just have to get our hands on the cap."

But when they looked to the ape, they were too late to react to the creature landing right in front of Betsy, and it grabbed her with an angry grip, holding her aloft, and then swatting Nick away with a hard shot with his other arm.

In this other arm was the cap, which he managed to wrest away from the monkeys. The ape had his grip on Betsy's shoulder as he held him aloft, and she knew that any attempt to struggle would give the ape all the reason in the world to crush the shoulder he held in his strong grip.

But rather than give Betsy a violent thrashing, the ape held the cap up to her. The bat-winged ape then let out a loud grunt, as if trying to communicate.

Betsy, however, didn't have a clue as to what the angry beast was getting at. What did he want, she wondered?

The ape then lowered the cap towards one of Betsy's hands, tightening his grip on her shoulder painfully, perhaps to remind her of the folly of crossing the winged ape.

She took the cap with her other hand, as the squeeze on her other arm had begun making her hand numb. She then examined the felt cap, which had precious stones decorating the outside of the gold-colored cap.

It was when she looked _inside _the cap that she saw why she might have been spared a fatal beating. There were a series of words to be spoken, and movements to be made, to invoke the power of the cap.

And then, the ape finally spoke, in a low and menacing voice. "You…make…me…_king!_ Make _wish!_ Or I _crush _you, little human!"

Betsy frowned in confusion. "You can speak. Why can't…" she winced at the pain in her shoulder. "w…why can't…_you _do it?"

"Can speak." The ape replied. "Can not read."

In the next moment, however, stuffed arms made of patchwork suddenly closed over the ape's eyes from behind, holding tightly to the beast's head as he bellowed in surprise. "HAH! Can not _see, _either!"

The ape finally dropped Betsy! She dashed off in the direction where she saw Nick swatted away to as the roaring ape grabbed the patchwork girl and threw her down as hard as he could. He then began stamping and beating at Scraps in absolute rage for a violent moment before launching to the skies. A bunch of monkeys began distracting the black-furred simian by flying in bunches around him like a swarm of bats.

Feeling was beginning to return to Betsy's arm as she spotted Nick, who had gotten to his feet with no real damage other than a slight dent in his chest.

"I've got that cap, Nick!" Betsy yelled. "Let's get back to th' carriage! QUICK!"

As they raced over, they saw the ape make another attempt to grab the cap from above, but Betsy tumbled forward to prevent a clear steal. Nick swung the non-bladed end of the axe out to swat away the ape's hands. More monkeys dove in for the assist, keeping the ape occupied while Nick and Betsy entered the waiting tin carriage. Betsy waved the cap out an open window of the passenger area as the tin emperor quickly brought the carriage to life, realizing they needed to be fast. Getting to the Poppy Fields meant going back to the yellow brick road, and they had left it far behind them in their journey to Mount Munch.

Turning the vehicle around, Nick had the carriage go as fast as possible, making sure to maintain as much control as possible so there would not be another blind crash. The weather was sunny and clear, so this was to Nick's advantage.

They heard chittering and cackling above them, so they knew that the ape was airborne and attempting to follow. Betsy didn't make anymore attempts to wave it out the window, however. She just held it in her hands, and took a closer look at the inscription.

Suddenly, there were violent slams upon the hood, accompanied by bellows of rage they knew had come from the winged ape. Betsy wondered if she should even _try _to invoke the power of the cap. Direct them all in such a way that could help them. Give them all a sense of purpose in this mad dash to these poppy fields Nick mentioned.

Ultimately, she deemed that it was worth a try. Despite the bumpy progress of the tin carriage, Betsy made an attempt to balance herself on her left foot.

"_Ep-pe, Pep-pe, Kak-ke!_" Betsy called out.

Another slam followed on the hood. A dent now showed, and Betsy spilled to the ground. Undaunted, she rose back up, and then balanced herself on her right foot.

"Hilo-lo, hol…"

Another bump in the road, and Betsy collapsed to the surface of the passenger area yet again. Rising to her feet yet again, he balanced on her right foot once again.

"_Hilo-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!_" She then called out.

Another bellow of rage from above, but no blow was heard, nor felt.

Betsy had made it to the last invocation! Fortunately, this part of the spell required that she be standing on both of her feet.

"_Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!_" Hoping that she would be heard, she immediately screamed out her first wish. "Get th' wing'd ape into th' Munchkinland poppy fields!"

Where there had been a smattering of chitters, there was now a thick cacophany of them! The ape could be heard whimpering now, and Betsy could even make out a few words from the simian aggressor. "No! Too…many! Off! Off! Let…go! Let _go_ of me!"

Nick saw a cloud-like swarm of the winged monkeys streaming ahead of him, and he saw that they were holding the struggling, writhing ape fast. Any that had lost their grip on the ape were quickly replaced with other monkeys. They kept a forward momentum towards the poppy fields.

Nick had to smile at Betsy's quick thinking. The Oklahoma girl sighed in relief as the tin emperor slowed their pace, seeing a path that would bring them onto the yellow brick road.

Moments later, when they finally reached the poppy fields, they saw curious munchkins watching within a foot or so from the edge of the poppy field, which had initially ran across the road until the Scarecrow king answered a request made by the munchkins to have the road portion of the poppies cleared completely.

Betsy and Nick emerged from the carriage to see that a portion of the monkey swarm were chittering and cackling just above where they had apparently thrown down the ape, who had finally succumbed to the potent poison of the fields. The bat-winged ape was fast asleep.

The triumphant monkeys then began landing around Betsy, looking at her with expectant and curious gazes.

They then heard a familiar voice from high above. "Wheeeeee!"

Betsy looked up just in time to get under the heavily-battered Scraps and catch her. Nick saw another winged monkey…the one which had recovered from the blow he had taken earlier…settle before the Oklahoma girl as well, now that he had un-burdened himself of the courageous patchwork girl.

"Are you OK, Scraps?" Betsy asked, patting off a lot of the dirt she had amassed from the thrashing she had taken.

"Oh yeah, fine!" Scraps replied, smiling. "No broken bones or buttons at all! Didn't even feel a thing! Bein' stuffed has its advantages, y' know. You oughta try it sometime!"

Betsy smiled…and then noticed that the monkeys were still staring at the Oklahoma girl.

"Ummm…" Scraps scanned the monkeys curiously as well. "…'unga-bunga'?"

A few of the monkeys flashed toothy, gummy grins at this.

"You have two more wishes to make, Betsy." Nick reminded. "We should find out what happened to the King of the Winged Monkeys. See if he needs any help."

Betsy nodded, making sure the golden cap was on her head securely. She then turned to the gathered monkeys, a majority of whom were still airborne and hovering expectantly. "Take me, Nick, an' Scraps to your King!"

The swarm then came to life once again, grabbing the trio and lifting them to the skies with care. They then began their advance in a northward direction, flying over munchkin farms…and then over the farms and communities of the Gillikin Country…before arriving at the mostly treetop-bound dwellings of the winged monkeys. All the wooden dwellings looked like firm and stable treehouses, with one in particular looking exceptionally large.

It was into this particular treehouse that the trio had been carefully settled into, and they saw a single winged monkey…the largest of the entire swarm…within it. A large chair in the treehouse had been shattered, and upon the floor by the wreckage of the chair were a bent golden scepter and a gold king's crown. They gasped in horror, however, at the appearance of the wounded and battered king the moment their eyes found him.

One of his wings had been pulled off.

The other battered monkey…the one who had talked to Betsy…settled beside the king. "Who…who have you…brought before me, Seneschal?" The king weakly asked.

"These brave souls helped us get the golden cap back, your majesty." The Seneschal replied.

"Did that ape do this to you, your highness?" Nick asked, gesturing to the stump where the king's other wing should be.

"It was no ape, tin man." The king responded. "Normal apes…they do not h…have the wings…of a bat. This…was far worse."

Betsy frowned. "What could be worse than an ape?"

"An _erb, _my dear." The Seneschal answered. "Mimics. Phanfasms. Carnevillans. All vicious and merciless monsters."

Nick nodded in confirmation, speaking in a very serious tone. "They all share one common trait, Betsy. They're all irredeemably evil. Even Ozma and the Scarecrow know this."

"I fear a _plot_ is in motion, tin man." The king remarked. "The pieces…are being placed, and this…this is…but a single movement."

"Can we do anythin' 'bout th' king's wing, Nick?" Betsy asked, out of concern for the wounded monarch.

"Perhaps Locasta can help him." Nick suggested. "You could use your last wish to take us all to the palace of the Good Witch of the North."

"What about your shiny wheelie-thingy?" Scraps wondered aloud. "We left it back there, ya know, by the poppy fields."

"Maybe she can use her magic to bring it to the palace." The Seneschal suggested. "She has become quite good in the use of the 'craft."

Betsy nodded. "I hope you're right, or we'll have a long walk ahead of us." She then turned to the waiting monkeys. "Take me, your king, Nick, an' Scraps to the palace of th' Good Witch of th' North!"

With an exultant and pleased cry, the monkeys swarmed around all four of their charges and lifted them once again unto the skies. The king grabbed his bent scepter before he was carefully hoisted to the skies by his subjects.

Although the cacophany of shrieks and babbles were quite obnoxious, the dark cloud of winged monkeys provided their charges with a smooth ride, and Betsy enjoyed the feel of the cool, pleasant winds blowing against them as they continued their journey to the palace. She always made sure that the jeweled cap sat securely upon her head throughout the entire trip.

Finally, they felt themselves descending, and they saw Locasta's beautiful palace on the horizon. The aged, white-haired, and bespectacled Good Witch of the North herself, clad in a lovely white gown with purple highlights and holding her long staff, stepped out to meet them as they settled to the ground.

"Oh! Emperor Nicholas." Locasta respectfully bowed low. "I heard the chatterings of the monkeys…" she then saw the wounded monkey king. "…oh, dear me…you're hurt!"

"These generous Ozians brought us here, good Locasta." The king wearily confirmed, gesturing to the trio. "Out of concern for me."

"They were smart to bring you here, your majesty. I have a regenerative draft which should restore your missing wing completely." Locasta then turned to one of her attendants. "Ermengarde, if you would. I believe you know which section this draft can be found. Please hurry."

Ermengarde, a teenaged gillikin woman in purple robes, curtesyed in acknowledgement. "At once, milady Locasta." She then dashed in as fast as she could to find the desired potion.

The Seneschal then stepped over to the kind old woman. "Our friends seemed to have left a vehicle by the poppy fields, good witch. Might your magic bring it here?"

Locasta smiled. "I need only spot it by name using the mirror. If it is not too big, that should not be a problem."

Betsy smiled in her relief. She then removed the golden cap and approached the king of the monkeys, holding the cap out to him. "My wishes are done, your highness."

The monkey nodded, smiling as he accepted the cap. "You have our eternal gratitude, my friend."

Locasta, however, turned to Nick as they waited. "What in the name of the Wizard of Oz could have done that to the king?"

The tin emperor's expression went grave. "Erbs, Locasta. It was an ape with the wings of a bat."

Locasta's own expression turned just as serious. "That's not good. No…not good at all. Which species do you believe it could be?"

"I'm guessing phanfasms." Nick replied. "They once tried to invade Oz a long time ago, according to Glinda, during the reign of King Pastoria."

"An ape with the wings of a bat, though?" Locasta wondered aloud. "That sounds more like one of the mimics of Mount Illuso."

"But a mimic wouldn't attack the king outright." Nick countered. "A mimic would find the king's shadow, and step into it, petrifying its victim, and assuming the victim's form."

Locasta nodded. "An ape with bat's wings is hardly festive, so it could not be a carnevillan. Seems the First and Foremost is getting creative with the forms he gives his own people. The beast was dealt with, yes?"

"He won't be getting out of the poppy fields anytime soon." Nick assured. "The monkeys planted him quite far from the edges of the fields, thanks to Betsy."

They both looked back over to Betsy…and in so doing, paid witness to the monkey king finishing off the regenerative draft Ermengarde had brought him. They all watched as the monkey's stump began growing out a fresh new feathered wing, much to the amazement of his subjects! The draft also restored the king's vitality, and he rose a fist to the air in his exultation. Betsy and Scraps cheered for the restored king of the winged monkeys as well.

But then, the king's expression turned sullen once again, seeing that he was holding his damaged scepter in his other hand. The cheering crowds around him went quiet as he walked over to Locasta, holding out the scepter as he regarded the Good Witch of the North with a puppy-dog glance.

Locasta smiled sympathetically, passing the glowing head of her staff over the scepter. "_Amendi_." She softly remarked.

A soft glow could now be seen on the scepter, after which the royal implement seemed to repair itself completely, resuming its former shape. The cheers exploded anew as the king held his beautiful gold scepter to the skies, screaming triumphantly.

The smiling king then stepped over to Betsy, who bowed low in the renewed king's presence.

But when she rose back up, she saw that not only the king, but the entire swarm of monkeys had bowed low unto _her._

"Looks like Betsy just made a few _thousand _new friends." Locasta quietly mused to Nick, who nodded in agreement.

The king rose back up, and then placed a simian hand upon Betsy's shoulder in his gratitude. "If only you had been born a winged monkey, my dear." He remarked thoughtfully. "What a _queen_ you would have made."

Betsy giggled, blushing deeply in her bashfulness. After an affectionate squeeze unto her shoulder, the king and his subjects rose to the skies once again, with the king leading his swarm of subjects back to their homes.

Scraps wrapped her arms around Betsy happily. "Way ta _go,_ Betsy-boo!"

"You were great too, Scraps!" Betsy chimed. "Blindin' that ape th' way y' did."

Locasta and Nick walked over to join them. "Let's go see if I can get you your vehicle back." Locasta gestured unto the trio, standing alongside Ermengarde. "Follow me inside."

Fortunately, the Good Witch of the North _was _capable of re-materializing the tin carriage in front of the palace, and both Betsy and Scraps giggled at the sight of the amazed munchkins that saw it disappear.

Although they needed to once again travel a considerable distance back to Mount Munch, they were at least back underway as Locasta, Ermengarde, and several other attendants waved their goodbyes.

As much as the adventure was an inconvenient delay, it was nevertheless a good cause for them to divert themselves to when all was said and done.

* * *

Ten vocabulary questions. Ten grammar inquiries. Ten science-related questions. Ten moments in Oz history, which the Scarecrow helped Dorothy come up with. Ten challenges relating to math, which she knew was the subject Tula liked the least. There were even ten questions relating to components of magic, one of which was related to the most powerful magic reagent in the land, which was the six-leaf clover.

Beyond this hurdle came the far more difficult advanced portion of Tula's examination process. Advanced vocabulary. Advanced grammar. Advanced science. Important moments in the history of the worlds outside of the nonestic lands, which were known to most of the people in Oz. Advanced Math, covering subjects like algebra and trigonometry. Ten challenges to each subject, which made the examination far tougher than the initial portion of the exam.

But the closely-held secret to the Learning Guild exams was in the fact that if the initial segment had a passing grade, any correct answers in the advanced portion were considered a bonus. If the initial portion formed a less-than-satisfactory grade, however, the advanced portion was the last chance Tula would have to advance the overall score to a passing grade.

Passing segment one, however, meant that Tula's two-year educational process…and Dorothy's initial responsibility to the guild…had been completed successfully.

Once Tula was done, she was to head upstairs while Dorothy graded the exam in the room below her house. She would receive the news as to whether or not she passed that very same evening.

Tula also had the added pressure of Prudence, her mother, waiting outside the house during the whole of the exam, looking quite impatient as she paced around.

Some of the questions were verbal ones, and others required drawn-out equations. Although Dorothy's demeanor throughout the examination was considerably serious, she was definitely rooting for her student deep down inside.

Upon the completion of the very last question of the advanced portion, Dorothy collected everything Tula had written in regards to her answers, and then allowed Prudence to step in and rejoin her daughter while Dorothy retired to the room below the house. She had already set the area up to check against the answers Tula had given.

Tula ran a hand over Toto's fur as they waited, although while the young munchkin was indeed quite nervous over the outcome of her exam, Prudence was even _more _nervous, and her barrage of questions made the wait quite torturous.

"I hope you had _studied _for this, young lady!" Prudence annoyingly remarked, more than once, among her many natterings and inquiries.

"Yes, Mom." was Tula's catch-all reply to each of her mother's inquiries.

The young munchkin knew, however, that the results of the exam was the only thing that would definitively convince Prudence, and so she was forced to endure more of her mother for a good hour and a half. Dorothy had brought pre-prepared foods and drinks over for Tula and her mom to help themselves to, so they could at least satisfy whatever complaints their bellies might make during the wait.

During this seemingly endless and anxious wait, Jellia Jamb arrived, obviously curious to find out whether or not Tula had passed. The young munchkin feared that Jellia would give her a round of speeches about responsibility and the importance of a good education, but she instead managed to deflect a lot of the latter natterings of her mom, which Tula entirely appreciated.

Down below, Dorothy was finally satisfied that all the questions had been covered, and she began her advance towards the stairs that led back to the main area of her home.

She was surprised to see that Jellia Jamb had joined the expectant mother and daughter when she returned to them. Dorothy certainly understood why, as well. If Tula passed, she had a job waiting for her alongside the head maid.

In Dorothy's hands were the sum totals that comprised her grades for both sections, and the overall grade below them. Her eyes were on Tula as she spoke. "Okay…now I need to tell you that a score above 65% on either section is considered a passing grade. These two grades figure into your overall grade, which will decide whether or not you need to prolong your educational process. I should tell you, Tula, that as I was grading it, I…got a little _worried_ about that."

A look of considerable concern was now on Tula's face. She knew that some of those harder questions were more like guesses than definitive answers. She hoped she didn't sabotage herself with any of them.

"I won't keep you in the dark any longer, though." Dorothy continued, holding the page up to the light so she could read it. "I will start with the advanced section. This was the portion that surprised me, since they were _very _hard questions. Overall, however, your score in the advanced section was…" She looked up to Tula with a look of disappointment. "…59%."

Tula's head lowered as she sighed out. She could feel her heart sink, and she now dreaded hearing the score for the first section. Jellia rubbed at Tula's shoulder in sympathy. She really did feel bad for her.

"But that's _nothing _compared to how I reacted to the _first _section!" Dorothy then remarked. "Oh, no…to have seen how you did _there! _I was positively _aghast, _Tula."

"Apparently, she didn't study _enough!_" Prudence scolded.

"Oh, I beg to differ, Prudence. She studied _plenty!_" Dorothy corrected, as a smile began forming on her face. "And her score in the first section proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt!" Dorothy then turned the page to Tula so she could see for herself. "Otherwise, you would not have distinguished herself with a final score _ooooof_…_98%!_"

Tula now gasped in amazement, and Prudence was in shock. Jellia was equally overjoyed over this revelation, hugging the relieved munchkin from behind.

"You'll be joining the ceremony tomorrow afternoon along with your fellow graduates, Tula." Dorothy reminded, stepping over and placing a hand on Tula's shoulder as she spoke. "I look forward to handing you your diploma…and I should tell you that despite your grade in the advanced section, the Learning Guild considers the passing of the first section far more important, and entirely satisfactory, so don't you walk off disappointed."

"And don't you worry about not being able to go back to work with me, either." Jellia added, smiling. "You resume work at the royal palace bright and early Monday morning."

"Which means you have the rest of the week to yourself, Tula." Dorothy walked up to her overwhelmed student and kissed her on the forehead. The young munchkin then wrapped her arms tightly around her tutor, overcome with emotion.

"Thank you so much…Miss Dorothy…" Tula whined through her happy sobs. "…y..you were a great, great tutor. I learned _so much_ from you! I really did!"

Prudence's tone obviously changed. She was no longer a worrisome mother, but rather a very pleased one as she rubbed her daughter's head affectionately. "My scholarly little munchkin. I'm so _proud _of you, my little dear!"

Dorothy could not help but feel proud of _herself, _as well. Her initial duty as a munchkin tutor was now fulfilled at last, and she now felt free to explore the entirely new avenue of munchkin life as the Ministress of Educational Affairs.

There was also the possibility that Glinda would say something, if not perhaps to force her hand, even. She had let the matter of Dorothy's transformation go for the sake of a munchkin oath. Now the munchkin ministress worried that Glinda would begin making demands of the fairy princess to have Dorothy's humanity restored as soon as possible.

Still…Dorothy thought to herself that this could be a lesson, in and of itself, for Glinda. That one could indeed find happiness in another form. Princess Ozma had even said it herself. She wanted to be sure that Dorothy was happy in Oz, and her word…by virtue of her status as the rightful ruler of Oz…could indeed overrule Glinda's, and if the Good Witch of the South did force her hand, Dorothy could call her on it.

For now, however, everyone celebrating in Dorothy's home that evening was entirely content.


	9. IX: Kind Hearts, Strong Brains & Courage

**IX: Kind Hearts, Strong Brains, and a Lot of Courage**

**AUTHOR'S ADVISORY:**

**Once again, we're making a major deviation here from one of the many resolutions that went into ****_The Tin Woodman of Oz_****, this one dealing with the resolution of the Nimmie Amee plotline, which came to a rather unique conclusion in the original story.**

**Here, however, ol' Emperor Nick should find the outcome a bit more satisfactory…**

* * *

At long last, the tin carriage finally pulled up near the home of Nimmie Amee, this according to the directions Dorothy had given Betsy. They found that the home was a sweet little cottage about a mile from the edge of the dreaded desert region. It was perhaps the last visage of humble beauty before the grasslands began their dissolve in vibrance, becoming the soft and pale brown soil that came before the border, and the dangerous, sandy wastes beyond it.

Scraps planted her chin on Nick's tin shoulder. "Well? What'cha waitin' for?"

Nick blinked, an expression of uncertainty on his tin-plated face. "I know I should get right up and go…but there's a part of me that wants to stay right here, too. It's…strange."

"Sounds like you're _nervous _t' me." Betsy noted. "I think you'll be jus' fine."

Scraps looked to Betsy curiously. "You think if he throws up, he'll throw up oil?"

Betsy frowned. "Scraps! C'mon. Be nice."

Scraps, however, was giggling wildly. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

Nick rose from his seat at the controls, however, and stepped before Betsy. "You should give my joints another coat of oil, just in case."

The Oklahoma girl nodded, and opened Nick's chest to pull out the oilcan, after which Betsy applied a fresh coat to each of the tin emperor's joints, including his mouth, and every digit of the fingers on his hands. Once Betsy was done, the oilcan went back in the chest compartment, and she closed the lid.

He then tested his movements, moving every joint he had. Not a single sound emerged from his joints as he did. "There. Quiet as a mouse."

"You're all set." Betsy confirmed.

"I still think he should take an oil pan with him." Scraps mused. "Just in case."

Betsy rolled her eyes as the patchwork girl mercilessly giggled. Nick began his approach to the door of the cottage, his unblinking eyes staring forward. Were it possible for a tin man to show any hint of nervousness, such a tin man would look exactly like Nick did in that moment.

"I'm sure glad you're gonna be behind me, Betsy." Nick remarked, hesitating in his approach.

"We are? OH. I forgot t' tell you." Betsy placed an arm around Scraps, gripping her shoulder tightly as she smiled to Nick. "You're goin' in alone."

"No, he isn't." Scraps protested.

"Yes, he is." Betsy countered.

"No, he isn't."

"Yes, he is."

The front door of the cottage suddenly opened during the repeated back-and-forth protest between the patchwork and the Oklahoma girl, and a very pretty female munchkin in a lovely dress embroidered with flower designs stepped out, looking somewhat confused. "What's all this racket out…"

Nick's eyes immediately turned to Nimmie's, and it seemed as if time had stopped between them. Both were speechless in their moment of recognition.

Betsy and Scraps had also frozen upon seeing Nimmie emerge from her cottage. The young munchkin's curious gaze eventually redirected to the both of them, and then back to Nick.

Nimmie then smiled. "Friends of yours?"

Nick's head snapped over to Betsy and Scraps, and then turned slowly back to Nimmie. He then nodded his head rapidly in confirmation. The young munchkin could not help but giggle at Nick's inescapably nervous expression.

Betsy smiled, establishing a more firm hold on the patchwork girl. "Don't mind us. We'll jus' wait out here."

"I PROTEST!" Scraps obnoxiously yelled, earning her a human hand over her now-mumbling mouth. The patchwork girl's limbs flailed helplessly in Betsy's tight grip on her stuffed body.

Betsy maintained her grin to Nimmie. "Like I said, don't mind us."

* * *

Nimmie shrugged, smiling, and then led Nick inside, closing the door behind them.

**Within the house…**

"I would offer you tea, but…well, as I remember how you are now, things like food and drink are no longer a necessity, right?" Nimmie asked, looking up to the larger tin man Nick Chopper had become.

Nick shook his head amusedly. "Not anymore. I can go all day and all night without sleep, too. It's always been as unique an existence as the Scarecrow's, actually."

Nimmie nodded. "And now, you're the great emperor of the Winkie lands. I always knew you'd be destined for something big, Nicholas. And in a taller body, to boot."

Nick nodded, looking at Nimmie for a long moment. The soft curls of her hair were just as he remembered them when he saw her last, and her eyes were just as ocean blue as she smiled upon him. "I miss you, Nimmie. So many things I wanted to say to you. Talk to you about. Now, here I am, and I'm struggling to recollect them."

"I suppose that's to be expected of a relationship cut short, Nicholas. Cut short by…moral responsibilities." Nimmie thoughtfully remarked. "_Good _ones, too. Ku-Klip told me about the kinds of things you had done while I was with him. It didn't surprise me that you would be a selfless leader."

"_They _were the ones who made me their emperor, though. They _insisted._" Nick amusedly explained. "Told me they would accept no other. They wanted someone as heartfelt and as charitable as they believed me to be to take the winkies out of their dark times as prisoners of the tyranny of the Wicked Witch of the West. Someone who could be a…a beacon."

"Well, being made of tin, you sure could shine like one under bright sunlight." Nimmie giggled, as did Nick. "So you say that they thought you were heartfelt and charitable. Do you agree, Nicholas?"

After a moment of thought, Nick shrugged. "I can only be as heartfelt and as charitable as any munchkin _could_ be, Nimmie. Whether I'm in a body made of tin or not."

Nimmie nodded, smiling, fairly satisfied with Nick's answer. "You remember when I told you that even though you were a tin man from head to toe, that I still thought you looked handsome?"

Nick nodded. "I remember."

"Do you know why I said that, Nicholas?" Nimmie then asked. "Because even though you _looked _so very much different, you never let it change the man inside _there._" She poked at Nick's tin-plated chest area. "Even when I tried to tell you that you didn't need a heart."

Nick nodded again, this time with a look of shame on his face. "I remember being so stubborn about it. I told you I should never return to you until I got the heart I wanted…but it was a very dear friend, who only recently returned to Oz, who told me something I never forgot since he spoke those words."

Nimmie listened curiously, tilting her head.

"He told me that a heart is not judged by how much I love, but by how much I am loved by others, Nimmie."

Nimmie nodded, very much in agreement with the words of wisdom Oscar Diggs had given the former munchkin woodsman upon rewarding him with the heart-shaped clock.

"That man gave me a clock in the shape of a heart." Nick added. "When it stopped ticking during the time I spent guiding the winkies through their restoration period, I feared I would become more cold-hearted. That I would lose what I had earned."

"But you didn't, did you, Nicholas?"

Nick shook his head, smiling. "I didn't feel any differently then compared to now. I guess that's because I knew what I was doing was…was keeping me in touch with the person I always want to be. The kind of person the winkies wanted for a ruler. I could never say I'm the most perfect ruler they ever had, I mean…just like any man, munchkin or otherwise, I have my failings. I can accept that I can always _try _to be the best ruler I can be. If I ever, for one minute, felt like I was perfect, like I was better than any ruler in the land, that would go against everything I try to be, Nimmie."

Visibly pleased with Nick's wisdom, she stepped in closer to the tin emperor. "One of the things I feared about seeing you again, Nicholas, was that you might have changed in some way. That you might have let the business of being a leader ruin that dear, sweet munchkin man you once were in some way. From what you're telling me, I can see that this hasn't happened."

Nick smiled. "I can tell you something else that has not changed." He then lowered to a knee in front of the beautiful young munchkin. "I still love you, Nimmie Amee. You have always been in my thoughts in some way, and I knew what would make you smile, and what would not, and I have tried to do things which I know you would smile about. I have never loved any others in your absence, and I have waited for this one moment to tell you…once again…how I truly feel about you."

Nimmie placed her hands on the tin emperor's shoulders, beaming happily. "Have you come to take me with you? To the Winkie Country? To take me away from this…humble existence of mine, out here on my own?"

"If you would allow it, Nimmie, I would certainly do this." Nick tenderly replied. "But _only_ if you would allow it."

Nimmie lowered her head, still smiling, but she was thoughtful once again as she turned to a nearby window, slowly approaching it as she spoke. "I don't know, Nicholas. I…suppose I have the Wicked Witch of the East to blame for this, but…I've been pretty content with being on my own. Living this humble life of mine. Being out in the middle of nowhere. It's tough to grow the kinds of things one would produce in the more fertile fields of Munchkinland all the way out here, but…I've made do with what little I could create for myself. I suppose when you've been forced to serve as the maid for a cruel witch, you tend to develop an ability to persevere. To find ways to survive. I still haven't gotten that terrible old crone out of my head, you know. Particularly for all the horrible things I've seen her do to others. I never did fully understand _why_ they did those kinds of things. Why they enjoyed doing them. Why they relished in their cruelty. It made me miss you even more, Nicholas."

"Don't you want to abandon those reminders, Nimmie?" Nick offered, staring upon her eyes earnestly. "If it's a humble life you want, I can give that to you. However you wish to live your life. If you want to have your cottage moved, I can make those arrangements. I'll have it rebuilt if I have to. Make sure it looks exactly as it does here. Not a scrap of tin anywhere, if you didn't want that. Maybe even ask Glinda if she could _magically_ move this place."

Nimmie slowly turned her head back to Nick. "Would you want me to become a tin _woman,_ Nicholas? Or dress me in tin, at least?"

Nick had to hesitate here, knowing he had told Betsy about what he had wanted to do if Nimmie accepted his love. Nevertheless, he continued to speak from the heart the Wizard knew he always had, even if it was not physically there. "I would never do anything you would not want me to do, Nimmie…but I will confess that I had envisioned being able to dress you in a beautiful gown of tin."

Nimmie couldn't help but giggle at this. "Tin gowns are best suited for tin women, I think. You know…there were times I had wondered what it would be like if I were just like you, Nicholas. A woman made of tin. I'd probably even be as tall as you are now."

"You wouldn't have to do that for me, Nimmie." Nick noted.

"Even if that's what I _wanted?_" Nimmie countered.

"I'd worry, though." Nick replied. "I'd worry that my being what I am might have influenced you in a way that you might…"

Nimmie tenderly placed a finger on Nick's lips, silencing him before he could finish. After a moment, she resumed voicing her thoughts. "You say you would give me whatever I wanted. Whatever would make me happy. There is one thing you could do for me, right now, which I think would make me very happy."

Nick now had an expression of considerable curiosity on his face.

"I want you to kiss me, Nicholas Chopper." Nimmie then revealed. "I don't care if you feel you have to pick me up in your arms, or stay on bended knee. I want to be able to feel the heart you say you have earned for helping that girl from Kansas. I want to know that I am not kissing an emperor or a woodsman when I do. I want to feel Nicholas Chopper's love, and his alone, through your lips."

By the time she had finished speaking, her lips hovered over Nick's. They were very close now, within inches of each other.

His tin lips then connected with hers in the next moment.

Although their thoughts were their own as they lingered in their passionate kiss, they both seemed to be acknowledging the same rationale in that moment. They didn't care who, or what, they were. All they knew, in that moment, was that they loved each other. Even as fleshy lips brushed lovingly against magically-animated tin semblances of them. Nick closed his eyes in hopes of being able to feel as he once felt, and it was to his surprise that he did feel a warmth, and a tenderness, despite his tin body. Perhaps it was the _essence _of the moment he was feeling, just as he felt in those moments when tears fell from his eyes when he cried for Dorothy's sake, and for Betsy's sake.

For Nimmie's part, she kissed him just as she had in Nick Chopper's days as a flesh-and-blood munchkin…and for all the days in which she longed to see him again, there was little difference now than it was all those years ago. She could still feel that Nick Chopper was there, just as she had suspected since seeing him as a tin man for the first time. He was a little more stubborn back then, refusing to acknowledge love on the excuse that he had no physical heart. Now that Nick had transcended this thinking, she was relieved that he could finally, willingly acknowledge true love despite having a hard metal skin. There was no sense of hesitation or guilt on his part.

Perhaps, she thought to herself as their lips lingered, she could surprise him by somehow becoming that which Nick was, although she did feel that this was something she felt he needed to earn.

For now, however, there was only the genuine love between them.

She smiled warmly when they finally pulled away, and what she said next definitely came from the heart.

"I love you too, Nicholas Chopper."

Nick felt a happy tear fall from his eye as he embraced Nimmie. He could hardly believe this. He thought the moment would end differently. That there would be a rationale that would forever deny them their future together. In their seemingly mutual feelings for one another, however, it seemed that the prospect of a future alongside each other now seemed entirely possible, and he swore to himself in that moment that if he had to, he would move mountains…to the best of his ability to do so…to give Nimmie whatever she desired. Whatever would make her happy.

There was, however, one matter he had wanted to address. One matter that had earned his curiosity ever since his newest friend…the tin soldier…had mentioned it.

He just needed to find the right moment to bring it up.

Nimmie, however, seemed to have similar thoughts in that moment when she spoke once again upon pulling away. "You know…there's another munchkin just like you out there. A man made of tin. A soldier, too. His name is…"

"Fyter?" Nick interjected, an eyebrow raised.

Nimmie smiled. "You've obviously met him, then."

"He told me how it happened." Nick settled into a seat. "A curse from the Wicked Witch of the East. Took advantage of his want for a suit of armor. If it wasn't for Ku-Klip, he'd still be a tin statue."

"He did a really good job on him, too." Nimmie noted. She then looked away, somewhat gravely, in her reminiscence. "He blames himself for what happened to me. I've known him all my life. He was a childhood friend. He was like the brother I never had. He was a bit too rough-and-tumble for me, though…but I know being a soldier is his fate, or so the witch always griped."

Nick leaned in curiously. "What happened, Nimmie? Why does he blame himself as he does?"

Nimmie sighed. As far as Nick Chopper was concerned, it was a fair question. If anyone else had asked, she would have stubbornly refrained from recollecting anything at all. But this was Nick. This was the man she now knew she still loved. She couldn't keep the truth from him.

"Fyter wanted a rebellion, as I'm sure he might have told you." Nimmie began. "Like any other munchkin who wanted to make a stand against the tyranny of the East Witch rather than try to ignorantly live their lives peacefully despite the suffering going on around them, he never fully understood just how powerful the East Witch was. She was even more powerful than her sister in magic. Like Boq and Jinjur, Fyter never believed that the East Witch was more or less invincible. That no one could defeat her. This was before the stalemate that resulted from the intervention of Glinda and her coven-sister Locasta, too. All too many times, I tried to warn Fyter to be careful, but…his plans were too open, too flawed. Even Jinjur knew this. Even if he made the statements he wanted to make through whatever actions they were planning, I didn't want to see him, or anyone he had helping him, sacrifice their lives over gestures that might ultimately prove futile."

Nick nodded, hoping his guess would not offend Nimmie in some way. "So you made a bargain with the witch?"

Although Nimmie's expression was now one of tearful regret, she nodded. "Is it wrong to be able to make a sacrifice that saves the lives of others? Had I known what she was eventually gonna do to Fyter, I might never have surrendered myself to be that miserable old hag's maid. She promised me she wouldn't kill him as she had been considering, but…don't you think standing in one place for the rest of your life, not being able to move _one single inch, _is no different from death?"

Nick nodded in understanding. "So he feels that by his actions, he compelled you to become the East Witch's maid."

Nimmie wiped tears from her eyes, sniffling before she continued. "He kept blaming himself. It really tore at me to see him so resolute in his thinking."

Nick nodded again. "Like I was when I was so insistent that I have a real heart in me before I could ever love you again."

"Yes!" She uttered in her agreement, wiping away more tears as she began to compose herself. "I haven't seen Fyter in such a long time…but you say you have?"

"Yes." Nick confirmed. "In fact, we had a rather lively and perilous little adventure with Betsy Bobbin, that young human girl outside. In our journey over here, we ran into a long-necked beast last night."

Nimmie gasped in her surprise. "The Hip-po-gy-raf?"

"Betsy fell victim to his curse." Nick explained. "To free her, and all those who suffered from the same condition, we had to find a way to feed him the hay he prefers to eat. In so doing, we found out that the one who was trying to starve the creature to death was the same man who had abandoned his entire family to suffer a curse from the Wicked Witch of the West. I will be appealing to Glinda sometime very soon in hopes of having this curse lifted."

Nimmie nodded. "All that just to get to me."

"I couldn't put off seeing you again any further than I already had, Nimmie." Nick earnestly admitted. "We invited Fyter to join us, but…he insisted on staying behind. I'm hoping he'll act on the suggestion I made. If he did join the Purple Heart Patrol, I think he would make a terrific leader."

Nimmie smiled once more. "I'd like to be able to see that, too. Knowing he's happy would definitely make me feel better when I think of him…but I certainly can't do that all the way out here, can I?"

Nick blinked in his surprise. "Did you just suggest that we…?"

Nimmie smiled sweetly, shrugging. "I hope you won't mind me wanting to live a little closer to you? You think the winkies would mind seeing a stubborn little munchkin doting on you more often than most?"

Nick beamed, ecstatic at Nimmie's suggestion. "Only one way to find out, my beloved Nimmie."

They both stepped outside the cottage. Nimmie was particularly curious to meet Nick's two friends that had been waiting for them. But once they were outside, looking towards the area they left them at, she found that she could not meet either one of them.

Because they were both gone.

* * *

Nimmie shrugged, smiling, and then led Nick inside, closing the door behind them.

**Outside the house…**

Betsy maintained her hold on Scraps, who had stopped struggling and flailing. She looked disappointed, but there was little she could do to free herself. The Oklahoma girl's grip on her was too strong.

Five quiet minutes passed. They heard very faint murmurs inside, so they knew Nick and Nimmie were in conversation, at least.

"Can I go in now?" Scraps then asked.

"No." Betsy replied.

Ten quiet seconds passed.

"Can I go in now?" Scraps again asked, in the very same monotone as before.

"No." Betsy repeated.

Another ten quiet seconds passed.

"Can I go in now?"

"No."

Scraps shifted her position so she could speak gently into Betsy's ear. "Pweeeeeeease…I'll be your best frieeeeend…I'll get you a ponyyyyy…an' a big box of caaaandyyyyy…come on, come on, come on, come on, come ooooon…"

"Scraps, they need t' be _alone._" Betsy reasoned. "We've gotta wait out here."

"_Baaah! _Waiting is _booooring_." Scraps quietly protested, a pout forming on her patchwork mouth. "I had more fun with that _ape_ than I'm having here."

"That ape could've ripp'd you t' shreds." Betsy noted.

Scraps shrugged. "Wouldn't have hurt. Only thing I ever worry about is fire. Oh…an' honey-bunch."

Betsy frowned in confusion. "Honey-bunch?"

"Well, ya gotta admit that wet hay kinda looks like honey." Scraps reasoned.

The Oklahoma girl still looked lost.

"The _Scarecrow, _silly!" Scraps replied. "Ol' brainy-head."

_Now, _Betsy realized who she meant. "Ohhh, th' one Dor'thy told me about."

"Hmph! Dorothy this, Dorothy that." Scraps then griped. "Honey-bunch dotes on that silly munchkin far too much. Even with all the work I was doing to try and make Dorothy happy so I could have honey-bunch all to myself."

Betsy tilted her head confusedly. "Work? What kind o' work?"

Scraps, however, shook her head. "Nuh-uh! Secrets! I ain't spillin' no beans!"

Betsy, however, sounded wary. "Scraps…what're you up to with Dor'thy?"

The tone of the patchwork girl remained stubborn. "Hah! I'm not tellin' you _nothin'! _No _waaay _I'm tellin' you that I've been tryin' to set the Mayor of Munchkinland up with her!"

Although Betsy knew next to nothing about this Mayor, she nevertheless found the apparent deviousness of this situation a little disturbing. Particularly for the fact that jealousy was fueling this notion.

Betsy frowned upon hearing the 'secret'. "Well, I hope they at least _like _each oth'r, Scraps."

"Silly Betsy-boo. Of _course _they like each other!" Scraps reasoned. "He had been going _oooon_ and _oooon_ about how Dorothy reminds him of his dead wife. For all the doting I've been advising him to make, I think it's startin' to pay off, too, 'cause I think Dorothy really _is_ starting to like Boq. Just before I got in the tin carriage, I had just finished telling ol' Boq something I overheard Dorothy telling the Scarecrow about a boon Ozma gave Dorothy."

"What kind o' boon?" Betsy asked.

"I think she said it was some kinda potion-thingy." Scraps replied. "Something to make her older. Yeah, that was it."

"Why would she…_wait a minute._" Betsy sounded even more wary now. "Scraps…how _old _is th' Mayor?"

"If Dorothy drinks that potion, that won't matter anymore!" Scraps replied. "That's the beauty of it! I know they like each other, so I just need to wait until she drinks down that potion, and then marries the guy. Then, it'll be me an' honey-bunch sit-tin' in a tree…k-i-s-"

"I dunno, Scraps." Betsy worriedly remarked. "This sounds awfully sneaky t' me."

"Hey! Don't get all fuddley-doop on me!" Scraps protested. Her voice then went serious. "Wait…did you hear that?"

Betsy rolled her eyes. "I'm not fallin' for that 'made ya look' thing again, Scraps."

"No, no! I'm serious!" Scraps began looking around. "I just heard something. Like a giggling, and…and a snorting."

The Oklahoma girl still didn't buy it. "I'm not lettin' you go 'till Nick comes back out, Scraps."

"Shhhhh!" Scraps continued darting her head around. "Shut up and _listen._"

Betsy finally gave the patchwork girl's concern a chance, although she still felt like she was being had again. In the moment of silence that followed, the Oklahoma girl heard only the outdoor sounds one would hear with a day's dissolve into night, including those of crickets beginning their nocturnal dronings. The skies above were indeed becoming deeper shades of blue.

And then, Betsy finally heard a faint but merry giggling, followed by an odd snort.

"_There._ Did you hear it?" Scraps quietly asked.

Betsy nodded. Still holding on to Scraps, she curiously moved in the direction of the sound, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Another round of wild giggling, and snorts, followed…but a merry young female voice could then be heard. "Fuddley-doop!" The giggling then began anew.

"She must've overheard us speakin'." Betsy hissed.

Scraps shrugged. "Whoever it is probably just wants to play."

Betsy frowned at this notion. "At _night?_"

"Maybe she's a lost kid." Scraps suggested. "We should look for her. Try to get her back to her parents. She can go with us in the tin carriage when we head back."

Betsy thought on this. Ultimately, she deemed that it was the right thing to do, but there was one caveat she had to mention.

"If I put you down, don't you go racin' ov'r t' Nimmie's house, Okay?" Betsy warned.

"Relax!" Betsy quietly assured. "I'm a little more curious about this kid. Let's face it…she had me at 'fuddley-doop'."

Betsy nodded amusedly, and then loosened her grip on the patchwork girl, keeping her eyes on Scraps out of concern that she would suddenly dash over to Nimmie's home. This time, however, Scraps was a patchwork girl of her word, and the duo slowly began to head in the general direction of the giggling.

Glancing behind her every so often to make sure Scraps was still behind her, Betsy continued her advance through the foliage of the forest they had to go through, the sounds of crickets thickening. Scanning for any sign of a child, she saw nothing, and they were gradually losing the natural light high above.

As they had not heard another occurrence of the giggling and the snorting, Betsy began to wonder if she should proceed any further. She figured it would be wiser to head back and perhaps convince Nick…and maybe even Nimmie…to help them in their search.

But then, the giggling could be heard again, and this time, it was _closer_. Giggling, then snorting, and the voice once again. "Betsy-boo!" More merry giggling, as if it were the funniest joke she had ever heard. She could now hear rustling through leaves on the ground. Compelled, Betsy pressed further towards the source of the sound, despite the darkening climate and the abundance of trees that seemed to swallow her whole.

It was when she circled around, during her search, that she now noticed she was now _alone. _Scraps was gone!

"Scraps? Hey! Where'd y' go?" She hissed loudly. After a moment, she then sighed irritably. "You crazy ol' sneak! If you went back t' Nimmie's…"

At that moment, she felt a slight shove at her back from behind! Betsy whirled around quickly…

…but saw nothing.

"Scraps…?" She spoke softly. "Was that…you?"

Silence followed, and Betsy stayed perfectly still, ready for anything as she slowly revolved.

"_Nope!_"

The word was sharply, and amusedly, spoken right into her left ear, as if whoever was playing with her was right behind her, and Betsy spun around once again.

_Nothing!_

The giggling and the snorting was heard once again, this time sounding as if it were about three trees away from her position. She hurried over to the source, moving around the circumference of the wide-bodied tree's base.

Such was her raw determination to find out who was apparently stalking her that Betsy did not notice the feel of the two hard hooves that had been placed against her hips.

When Betsy came to a complete stop in recognition of this, a round-bellied body collided into her back, and a pair of chubby pink arms wrapped around her waist, pinning Betsy's arms to the sides as they fell to the ground, the giggling, snorting intruder behind her cushioned by Betsy's body as the Oklahoma girl fell face-first to the soft ground, after which the two bodies began rolling around upon the dry soil below.

Betsy quickly wrestled herself out of the grip, the fat stalker continuing to giggle mercilessly as the Oklahoma girl rolled to the side and then leaped to her feet, hoping she would now get a glimpse of whoever it was that was apparently taunting her.

And saw the intruder, she finally did, as the round-bellied stalker…who was dressed in festive colors…struggled merrily to the two hooves of her feet, still giggling and snorting. Betsy recognized the wild and obnoxious style of clothing right away, given her circus experiences.

They were those of a clown.

What she saw otherwise was a female anthropomorphic pig with a head of short and curly bright purple hair. In addition to her hooved feet, she had three-fingered hands with hard black tips. Her half-human, half-porcine face had a full pig's snout, which was apparently painted red, while the rest of her face had a white clown basis, and was otherwise made up in the typical clown fashion with yellow-lined green diamond designs around her eyes, and a red-lined blue makeup pattern around her lips. Her large porcine ears had been given a yellow color.

She continued to laugh and giggle merrily even after the pig clown's eyes fell upon Betsy, perhaps feeling all the more giddy that she and her new playmate could finally acknowledge her presence. By now, the only illumination in the area was provided by a full moon hovering high above.

"_Betsy-boo!_" The pig clown shoved a finger towards the Oklahoma girl before giggling and snorting once more, practically dancing and spinning in place, turning away from her long enough to wiggle her huge posterior towards Betsy, who saw that the pig clown had a coiled tail emerging from her spine, poking through a convenient hole in the clown outfit's rear section.

And then, from six areas within the trees, surrounding them both, flared a group of torches that provided more improved illumination. The humanoid figures holding them…which Betsy could barely make out…began walking slowly around the two. Spotting one, Betsy saw that the torch-bearer was also wearing multicolored clothes, but she was able to spot a full-face porcelain mask on the person's face as well.

"Where's Scraps?" She called out, beginning to feel uneasy about this unexpected situation. "What've you _done _with 'er?"

In the next moment, she heard a flaming object tumble through the air right past her, as if it had been thrown. The pig clown caught the thrown torch, and then caught the next one that had been thrown past the other side of where Betsy stood.

Still displaying an open-mouthed smile, the pig clown began juggling the two torches while keeping her wide eyes on Betsy. Another torch was thrown at her, and now the clown was juggling three torches. A fourth followed.

The pig clown juggled them while standing on one hoof. She juggled them while turning slowly around. She juggled them while quickly spinning around. The entire time, she wore the same merry smile.

The remaining two torches, held by the shadowy humanoids in the masks surrounding them, were then flung to the pig clown, and she was now juggling all six torches in an impressively effortless fashion.

As Betsy watched, however, the porcine clown suddenly tossed one of the torches to the Oklahoma girl. A second was then passed to her. Although it was a surprise move, Betsy was able to catch the both of them.

As she held them, she saw that the pig clown was continuing to juggle the four torches she still had.

_With her eyes closed._

Frowning over the clown's plainly obvious attempt at showing off, Betsy began juggling the torches she had, showing off the skill her Bailum &amp; Barney trainers had taught her.

The pig clown then tossed Betsy a third torch. Betsy, however, managed to have this torch join the other two in her own display of juggling skill.

The clown seemed to giggle and snort with delight as each of them had three torches flying up and down alternately, the burning edges still ignited brightly. Betsy had to smirk as they continued their juggling displays, although she was also a little wary that this might be a diversion. She wanted to be prepared to drop all focus on the torches and prevent the six masked individuals around them from grabbing her.

But the clown then tossed a fourth torch to Betsy.

This was Betsy's limit insofar as her training went. She had been unable to do more than four, and she visibly struggled to keep the torches airborne. Wanting to save face, Betsy tossed this fourth torch back to the pig clown as she continued her juggling.

The tumbling torch seemed to bounce off the pig clown and back to Betsy in the way the clown handled the torches. Betsy passed it right back, and every time she did that, the pig clown flung it back to the Oklahoma girl.

In the next moment, they were juggling all six torches between them. This proved more of a struggle for Betsy to keep up compared to the pig clown. She looked _very _nervous as she continued to keep the torches flying between them.

With a partial smile, Betsy realized she was doing better than she thought she would as she continued the rhythm.

Now the pig clown began to pace around slowly, and Betsy moved similarly, knowing they had to remain face to face for the juggling rhythm to sustain itself.

The porcine entertainer looked quite delighted to see that Betsy had talent of her own. Her eyes stayed wide open in her giddy satisfaction, and her smile never dissolved.

A new rhythm followed. Two were juggled up by the clown, and four were passed between her and Betsy.

Then four up, and two across.

All six were then tossed to Betsy, and the Oklahoma girl…who had never in her life juggled six…found herself struggling to keep the flaming torches tumbling up and down in front of her.

In her wild effort to do so, she lost her balance and suddenly stumbled down to the ground, the torches remaining airborne and tumbling about until they suddenly came down, unlit ends first, around Betsy, deeply stabbing into the ground around her as if the torches were fired from a gun.

"OOPS!" The pig clown cackled and snortled anew. "Bet-sy got a boo-boo! Bet-sy got a boo-boo!" She wiggled her big posterior as she danced around in her taunting.

Betsy sighed, feeling hurt by the clown's bullying. "Oh, leave me _alone._" She then looked around worriedly. "Scraps…where _are _you?"

But the pig clown suddenly pounced forward, somersaulting in the sky. Betsy screamed as she saw the porcine entertainer heading right down on her!

When the clown landed, however, it was as if Betsy had been hit with a very soft bean bag, and the clown bounced upon the Oklahoma girl's body twice before settling her weight down upon her. Her weight then seemed to increase to the point where Betsy was effectively pinned beneath her porcine stalker.

The clown giggled and snorted again as she lay on top of her, looking right into her eyes. Betsy saw that the clown's eyes had a faint, rainbow-like sheen to them.

The clown then pulled off Betsy's white bonnet and ran her three-fingered, hoof-like hands through her curls. Betsy felt a warm tingle at the roots of her hair as this happened.

The Oklahoma girl began to struggle and squirm under the pig clown's weight, but then one of the hoof-like hands settled over Betsy's nose, holding it in a firm grip.

The porcine clown then brought a digit of her other hand to her mouth, took a deep, inward breath which seemed to make her body expand a bit, and then blew as hard as she could upon the tip of the digit, her cheeks visibly ballooning.

A tingle at Betsy's nose preceded an intense influx of pressure centered upon her nose, and it suddenly ballooned out of its human shape to become as round as a ball. The flush of blood to her nose seemed to colorize this apparent mutation, making it deep red in color. The nasal passages during this effect had been temporarily blocked, but once the clown's hoof-like hand moved away from Betsy's nose, her nasal passages opened up again.

Her eyes naturally went to this changed nose, seeing its new and unnatural roundness. It absolutely looked like one of the red noses she had seen Bailum &amp; Barney clowns wear.

The pig clown found it predictably amusing, and she brought a hand over to squeeze upon the red nose she had apparently given Betsy.

The nose emitted a funny noise through the nasal holes when the clown squeezed it. A strangely ticklish sensation could also be felt along with the noise.

The pig clown's laughing and snorting began anew, but Betsy did not find this amusing at all. She _hated _clowns, and there was no way she was going to let this particular clown turn her into one.

With all the strength she could muster, she pulled her knees into her chest and kicked the clown up with both of her legs, showing the bullying clown a trick Betsy herself had learned through acrobat training: the ability to make a person spin around using one's legs.

And spin the porcine clown did, although the joyous exultations of the clown seemed to indicate that she was enjoying this greatly. When Betsy kicked her as far into the distance as she could, she let out a loud _WHEEEEEEE!_

Betsy finally rose to her feet, and her hands immediately went to her nose, feeling its roundness. Its skin texture was still evident, but it was still capable of making a honk like a bicycle horn…and gave her that weird tickle feeling…when it was squeezed, and she sighed in her despair.

And since this was in fact her nose, and not an attachment, she could not remove it.

Feeling at her hair, she saw that it was now a mass of tightly-curled ringlets. She was unable to find out if the color had been changed, however. She would need to look in a mirror to see that.

The familiar sound of an approaching engine, and the appearance of bright lights, heralded the approach of the tin carriage at long last. Relieved, she turned to it as it pulled in close to her…

…but an alarmed Nick and Nimmie Amee quickly came out of the vehicle. Nimmie hurriedly grabbed Betsy protectively while Nick brandished his axe at six masked humanoids who were apparently approaching the Oklahoma girl from behind!

"I'll protect her _all night _if I have to!" Nick warned his adversaries. "Now _leave!_ Or I _will _hurt you!"

The shadowy, human-sized assailants…their overall appearances still covered by the blackness around them, save for slight glimpses of portions of their masks…began retreating away from Nick, one step at a time. They then began somersaulting away very quickly until they were gone. There was no further giggling or snorting either.

Nick then turned to Betsy, easing his guard. Nimmie was already assessing what had happened to the Oklahoma girl.

In addition to the nose Betsy had been given, Nick and Nimmie was also able to see what the clown had done to their friend's hair as Betsy recovered her bonnet, dusting the soil off of it.

Betsy looked to Nick with a question that seemed terribly obvious. "What color is it, Nick?"

After a moment of hesitation, Nick revealed it. "It's…pink, Betsy. Bright pink."

Betsy sighed loudly in her frustration. "I _hate _clowns. Pink hair, big red nose…I hope I'm not gonna _stay _like this."

"I'm sure Glinda can easily remedy these changes, Betsy. Don't worry." Nick assured.

"Wait a minute…Scraps was with me." Betsy then remembered. "Did you…"

Nimmie nodded as she interjected. "Your stuffed friend is in the carriage. We found her on the way here."

"She'll need a new pair of gloves and boots, but she's otherwise fine." Nick added. "Well…except for the big red button clamping her mouth shut."

Betsy smiled. "With th' way I look right now, I think I'll wait 'till I'm all fix'd up b'fore gettin' that butt'n off."

Nick chuckled at this. "That's understandable. Feel like joining us back at the tin palace, Betsy? Or would you rather be dropped off at the Emerald City?"

After a moment of thought, Betsy made up her mind. "I'll go with you an' Nimmie, your highness. Y' think Scraps can be fix'd up at th' tin palace?"

Nick shrugged, smiling. "I don't see why not."

The trio then headed over to the tin carriage. Within moments, they began rolling out.

As they made their way out of the forest area and away from Mount Munch, Nimmie stepped over to sit next to Betsy. Scraps was a few seats away in the back. With her gloves and boots removed, her patchwork-quilted wrist and ankle areas had been tied behind her, and she did indeed have a large red clown-suit button stitching her mouth closed.

Betsy looked a little moody as her fingers felt along the shape of her transformed nose, which concerned Nimmie. "Betsy, is it? Are you OK?" She quietly asked.

"Yeah, I'm Betsy. Betsy Bobbin. Nice t' meet you, Nimmie." Betsy then slowly lowered her head. "I'm not really feelin' all that great right now. It's not 'cause o' th' clown thing. I…I really wanted t' help Nick. First time I tried, I got real big an' fat. Now, I wanted t' help someone else who we thought was lost, an' I…I walk'd into some kind of a trap."

"But Nick told me how courageous you were, Betsy." Nimmie explained, putting an arm around the sullen girl in consolation. "He told me about that little adventure with the monkeys, and how you got that cap back to them. That was all you, Betsy. You set that little plan in motion, and you even inspired Nick to keep going until he found me again."

Betsy smiled. "Yeah, I…I kinda forgot about that monkey thing."

"Good thing I reminded you then." Nimmie gave her a wink. "We can't always win when we do things like that, though. Every now and then, we stumble. But it's one thing to stay on the ground, lost in regret. It's another thing entirely to get yourself back on your feet and try again, and keep trying until you succeed, right?"

Betsy nodded, feeling a little better. "Right."

"I'm curious, though." Nimmie then remarked. "You had said you hated clowns. We used to have visitors in Oz from a faraway place called Merryland, where there's an area called the Clown Country, and they were not only very talented, but very funny as well."

"Yeah, but…it kinda seems like they're tryin' too hard t' make people laugh." Betsy reasoned. "They jus' look too silly. They act too goofy."

"So it's not like something happened to you in your life that made you hate clowns?"

"Well…I might think that sometimes, with th' way clowns are, I might think about some of th' mean things some of th' kids at the orph'nage did t' me when I was there." Betsy explained. "I mean, clowns messin' with each oth'r just t' make people laugh can make me think about all th' times I've been teased an' bullied at that orph'nage."

"But those times are behind you now, aren't they?" Nimmie reasoned. "Bringing good cheer, I think, is always a good thing. Even if it means dressing up in silly clothes. Nick tells me cruelty in the Winkie Country is a crime. Punishable by banishment from the lands. So? You wouldn't have to worry about anybody being cruel to you if you chose to live in the Winkie Country."

Betsy frowned. "Are you sayin' that I should _stay _this way? Start wearin' clown makeup, an' bein' silly all th' time?"

"Well, I only suggest it because as you might expect, I like clowns." Nimmie replied. "But then, maybe we can just see about having more visitors from Merryland if I ever wanted to see clowns again…but it would certainly make people in Nick's country a little happier if they had a funny entertainer living among them. Someone who could always make people smile. Nick told me you used to be in a circus, and from what I know of circuses, there are a lot of clowns."

"Yeah, but…I didn't do any clownin'." Betsy countered. "I was more of an acrobat. Swingin' on flyin' trappys an' stuff. Circuses aren't _only _about clowns."

Nimmie nodded in understanding. "Nick told me you did a show, too. They called you the Queen of Diamonds. Sparkling skin, with diamonds all over."

"That was _amazin'_." Betsy's eyes widened in emphasis. "That was a magic makeup job. I didn't feel any diff'rent, but I sure _look'd _diff'rent! That wore off, though. I was told that it would. This…" she indicated her ball-like nose. "…doesn't feel like it will."

"Well, like Nick said, I'm sure you can get your hair and your nose restored through his friend, Glinda." Nimmie rubbed Betsy's shoulder sympathetically. "But I still think it would be nice if the Winkie Country had a circus of its own."

Betsy nodded, smiling. "That'd be nice! An' I'll say, in fairness, that _some _clowns I've seen were okay. I mean, they're not _all _bad. Guess I'm jus' picky."

Nimmie smiled at this, and then gave Betsy's nose a firm squeeze, hearing the funny noise as another infectious tickle ran through the Oklahoma girl's body. She couldn't help but giggle cutely and quiver against this feeling.

Nick concentrated on the road, keeping an eye out for any further trouble. It was well into the evening hours as they passed through the Gillikin Country roads, and then into those of the Winkie Country.

As they rolled towards the tin palace, Nimmie heard Betsy squeeze at her nose once again, and she gave her a curious glance. Betsy seemed to do it idly, and she let out another slight giggle, feeling the tickle running through her.

The munchkin woman could not help but smile amusedly at this.

* * *

Before Nick took Nimmie on a guided tour of the tin palace, he had taken Betsy back to the very nice-looking guest room she had been given during her stay at the tin palace, and the tin emperor assured that attendants would see to her needs upon alerting one of the nearby guards, who all knew that the Oklahoma girl was the emperor's special guest. The only request Betsy had made was to have a full-length mirror installed.

Betsy thoughtfully stared at her own reflection for nearly an hour once she had changed into a provided nightgown. She had pulled her bonnet off, and her fingers were now sifting through the mass of bright pink curls on her head. She was at least assured that her hair did not resemble some of the wigs clowns typically wore that she never liked. Aside from the radically different color and the tighter mass of curls, her hair looked otherwise fine.

A lot of her thoughts were on Nimmie's concept of a circus in the land of Oz. The idea had merit, particularly for the kind of atmosphere Nick Chopper wanted for his country. She was, however, a little more inclined towards the visage of the Queen of Diamonds that she wore when she was performing alongside the Wizard and Hank.

It then occurred to her that she had not thought of her mule companion for quite some time, although she was sure he was being treated well while he stayed with Glinda and Oscar.

Her fingers then went to her nose once again.

She still had her sense of smell, and her nasal passages remained clear. It was the shape that was particularly odd, and the sharp sense of pleasure which came with the bicycle horn-like sound that blared when anyone squeezed it was a little worrisome.

Even more troubling was why the pig clown had given Betsy such things in the first place. Maybe the pig clown was a part of a more magically-based traveling circus? Perhaps it was an invitation? Nimmie mentioned something about a Clown Country. Could that have been one of the clowns from that area? Was the larger territory of Merryland a place worth visiting at some point in her future?

She had no answers.

Just pink hair, and a round, ball-like red nose. It didn't even hurt when she squeezed the nose.

Betsy curiously went back over to the dresser, and began looking for a particular outfit, which she remembered bringing into the room. After a bit of rummaging, she finally found it.

The sparkling Queen of Diamonds costume had even been cleaned, too, and the white ruff was attached to it.

Off came the nightgown, and Betsy slipped back into the costume, standing in front of the mirror once again with a curious expression on her face.

She then sighed out loudly. By her assessment, the clowny features on her face didn't go with the costume, and she took it off.

As she put her nightgown back on, she accidentally impacted her nose as she slipped her head through the neckhole, and the bike horn-like sound blared. The sharp tickle sensation…which now seemed to get a little stronger every time the nose was squeezed…made her gasp.

The tickling sensation was now starting to scare her. She resolved, from then on, to try and keep her hands away from her nose until she could be restored.

After a long yawn, she slipped beneath the covers of the bed and stared up to the ceiling, trying to relax. Eventually, her half-lidded eyes fluttered shut, and her head slowly moved to one side.

Seven uninterrupted hours later, Betsy's eyes slowly reopened to see the coat-button eyes of a familiar, smiling face fashioned from a patchwork quilt staring back down at her. She felt the patchwork girl's mass resting gently against her, the stuffed arms casually crossed against Betsy's chest.

"Boo." Scraps quietly remarked once Betsy's eyes finally found hers, and focused upon them. "Good morning, Pinky."

Betsy smirked, her voice weary. "G' mornin', Scraps."

"Don't tell me. Lemme guess. 'Don't call me Pinky'." Scraps mused. "It was either that or Big Red!"

Before Betsy could stop her, Scraps gave the round red nose a squeeze with her new, yellow-gloved hands, the bike horn sound once again blaring, and the sharp tickling sensation running through the Oklahoma girl's body, forcing her to giggle loudly.

The eyebrows of the patchwork girl arched up wide. "Did that _tickle _you?" She squeezed the nose again. And _again_. Betsy was now in a full-on giggle fit, despite herself. "HAH! _That's _for keepin' me out of Nimmie's house, _Big Red!_" And Scraps playfully squeezed the nose once again. And three more times in rapid succession.

Betsy had tumbled out of the bed by now…but such was the overload of her pleasure centers that she could not feel the impact. Her body had numbed even as she was giggling uncontrollably. Something had definitely snapped within Betsy's clear mind, too, from all the magically-induced tickles surging through her with every squeeze of the large red nose.

_Tweak an' squeeze, Betsy-boo!  
__Nothing but smiles for me and for you!_

Scraps started mercilessly poking and tickling Betsy as she spoke her lyrical verse, the patchwork girl squeezing the nose every chance she got. Betsy tumbled backwards as she giggled merrily. Once she had landed on her posterior, she tried rising to her feet…but she stumbled backwards and fell back on the floor.

This made her giggle even more, as the numbness running through her made it impossible for her human nerves to feel any pain from the impact of her stumble.

The door to her room suddenly burst open. Nick gasped at what he saw as he stood alongside Nimmie Amee, who was dressed in a very beautiful formal gown with decorative tin highlights. The tin emperor headed right for Scraps, while Nimmie moved towards Betsy.

"Scraps! I told you to leave Betsy alone!" Nick scolded. "Can't you see she's under a spell?"

Scraps shrugged. "Can't you see she's _enjoying_ it?"

Nimmie bent to a knee and placed her hands on the giddy-faced Oklahoma girl's shoulders. "Are you all right, Betsy?"

Betsy nodded, panting as she rose to her feet. "Uh-huh! I feel jus' swell, Nimmie! 'Cause I can't feel _nothin'!_"

"There! You see?" Scraps reasoned, gesturing to Betsy. "No more pain!"

"That isn't always a good thing, Scraps." Nimmie countered. She then turned to Nick. "She's clearly in no condition to join us for the graduation ceremony, Nicholas. Is there someone we can take her to?"

Nick nodded. "I think we should take her to Locasta, the Good Witch of the North. Glinda is busy training a friend of mine in magic, so I don't want to distract her with this matter. If Betsy's condition is too strong for Locasta to remedy, we'll bring her to Glinda."

Nimmie nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"But _Nimmie!_" Betsy gasped, turning the munchkin's head to face hers. "Don't y' _want _me t' be a clown?"

Nimmie sighed, blushing in embarrassment. "Well…we can talk about that after you've seen Locasta, Betsy."

Nick frowned as he turned back to Scraps, leveling a tin-plated finger towards her. "You are _not _coming with us."

"Awwww, come on!" Scraps protested. "Betsy's my friend! Look…if you say there's something _wrong_ with her, then let's go see Locasta about it! I promise. No more honking Betsy's nose." She sounded surprisingly serious in her proclamation, but then she added. "At least, for now."

Although Nick did not look entirely convinced, he nevertheless nodded. "We're gonna hold you to that, Scraps. In fact, Nimmie will be keeping her eyes on you for the entire trip."

"But if Locasta says it's nothing bad, we get to play around like dolls." Scraps then noted.

"This clearly had something to do with what that pig clown did to her last night." Nimmie warily countered. "This could be _very _bad."

Nick nodded, suspecting that this was also an erb-related problem. "I agree."

* * *

_As Mayor of the Munchkin__City, in the county of the land of Oz,  
__I welcome you all most reeee-gally,  
__and today I must proclaim quite leee-gally_

_that a thorough education must result in graduation!  
__Proven by examination, they have earned certification  
__to bring illumination, and knowledge affirmation!_

Boq, who had the smiling Scarecrow standing next to him dressed in his graduate cap and gown, then turned to the rows of seated students behind him. Standing beside them were their ordained tutors. Dorothy, of course, stood behind Tula, who rose up with the rest of the proud and anxious…and in some cases, very nervous…students at the Mayor's bidding.

_Graduates, I bid you RIIIISE!  
__For your tutors, who did adviiiise  
__that for the courses, you did complete,  
__that you join the Think-ology ELITE!_

As the cheer went up among everyone in attendance at the public graduation ceremony in the Munchkinland Town Square, the Mayor turned to the Scarecrow and bowed respectfully. Dorothy had seen this procedure many times before as one among the crowds below, with their educational charges beside them, and in the two years she had been tutoring Tula, she was very much looking forward to being on the stage with her own accomplished student at her side. Now, she was finally there, among the other tutors and their anxious charges.

Dorothy definitely felt a sense of closure, although this also came with a sense of uncertainty. What would life as the Ministress of Educational Affairs be like for her? How would this differ from being a regular tutor?

Looking out in the crowd, she saw a few tutors with their students, some of whom looked a little crestfallen. Dorothy knew that for all the time spent in tutelage, some students were a little more difficult to teach compared to others, and some required extra time. The munchkin ministress did think on this minor propensity, though, and had been wanting to propose a couple of related ideas once it came time for her to present them.

For now, however, she watched the Scarerow step to the center of the stage that was erected in the Town Square. It was time for her favorite part of the ceremony. The Scarecrow already had the first diploma in his hand, ready to hand it over to the first name called, which was always in alphabetical order.

But there was a speech the Scarecrow repeated every year, and it was a source of well-placed reminiscence as he spoke the words.

"As a very good and eminent friend of mine once said," The Scarecrow began. "_anybody_ can have a brain. It's a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the Earth or slinks through slimy seas has a brain. Back where people like Dorothy Gale and the Wizard of Oz came from, they have universities! Seats of great learning, where people go to become great thinkers. When they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than anyone else has. But they have one thing these graduates haven't got! A _diploma!_" He held up the tightly-rolled document, which was tied with a blue ribbon. "Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Munchkinland Learning Guild, and in honor of the Universitarius Committiartum E Pluribus Unum, I hereby confer upon each of our graduates, who I shall call by name, and in alphabetical order, the honorary degree of Th-D. Upon receiving their diplomas, they shall henceforth be ordained Devotees of Thinkology!"

Of course, Dorothy remembered that the Wizard had ordained the Scarecrow a _Doctor _of Thinkology, and it was perhaps by virtue of the Scarecrow's logic…or Headmistress Philomena's, or perhaps even both of them…that they redefined the "D" of the bestowed diplomas so they would not find Munchkinland drowning in Doctors of Thinkology!

"Alannah, student of Rosella."

Young, blond-locked Alannah rose up out of her chair, and Rosella followed behind her as she stepped over to the smiling Scarecrow. One hand took the presented diploma while the other hand shook the Scarecrow's stuffed hand.

"Asa, student of Marigold."

The brown-haired boy called Asa was a bit rowdy in the early years of his tutoring under Marigold, but his munchkin tutor established firm disciplinary tenets with the help of Asa's parents, which compelled the munchkin boy to improve considerably. His general attitude towards learning, and his behavior in general, noticeably improved as well. Some of the friends he had made, however…notably, a bad seed of a boy named Kiki-Aru…abandoned Asa to his "loser's life", as Kiki called it. The young son of the powerful munchkin magician Bini-Aru was not very well-liked among the munchkins in any case, so it did not upset Asa too much to see that troublemaker part company with him.

His vow of revenge, as ominous as it sounded, was a typical thing with him. That did not bother Asa either, and he smiled happily as he accepted the diploma in one hand and shook the Scarecrow's hand with the other.

"Bilius, student of Ermengarde."

Dorothy knew that engineering was the meat and drink of this particular student, and someday, she felt that this particular student could create wondrous new things once he had gotten past the hurdle of his tutelage. He had even acted on a conscious desire to grow up as well, although Dorothy didn't know how far he wanted to progress.

He definitely looked visibly older than when the round-bodied munchkin last saw this one. Bilius looked entirely eager even after he had accepted the diploma the Scarecrow bestowed upon him, as Ermengarde observed with pride.

The Scarecrow went through many letters as graduates continued to approach the stuffed Royal Advisor to shake his hand and receive their diplomas. As there were no names that started with "R" or "S" among the graduates, the next name the former ruler of Oz announced took Dorothy by surprise.

The Scarecrow smiled wide as he spoke. "Tula, student of Dorothy Gale."

The applause was a little louder, and the Princess Ozma…who was in attendance with Jellia Jamb alongside her on one side, and the Cowardly Lion on the other…regarded the pair with a bit more volume in her applause as she beamed joyfully. Standing next to the Lion were Emperor Nick Chopper and Nimmie Amee, and in front of them were Lollipop Guildmaster Ojo, who stood with his good friend the Woozy at his side. The current Guildmaster of the Lullaby League held her place next to Ojo's four-legged, fire-breathing companion, offering her own cheers and applause. A proud Aunt Em and an equally proud Uncle Henry…both of them dressed in human-sized munchkin formal outfits…had also been invited to stand with the Princess of Oz, and they had Toto with them as well. His tail wagged as Aunt Em held him up, and he barked happily once he heard Dorothy's name.

Smiling widely, Dorothy rose up and followed Tula over to where the Scarecrow awaited to present the happy graduate with her diploma. The ministress behind her placed a hand upon the young munchkin's shoulder proudly. The munchkin tutor then gave Ozma's straw-stuffed royal advisor a tight hug. By now, tears of joy were falling from Dorothy's eyes.

Dorothy then realized that the Scarecrow did not bend his body down so she could hug his torso, and she found that she had the Scarecrow's legs in her arms. She didn't care, though, and the Scarecrow only chuckled in amusement as he ran the stuffed glove of his hand over Dorothy's hair.

When she finally pulled away, the Scarecrow bent down and kissed the happy munchkin on her forehead. Dorothy then followed Tula to where the other graduates and their tutors waited. Glancing to Ozma, she saw the Princess of Oz blow her a kiss, and as she expected, the Cowardly Lion was struggling to keep from crying…again…over yet another happy moment in the life of his good friend from Kansas.

He eventually buried his furry, blubbering face unto the black-striped orange shoulder of the Hungry Tiger, who as always was at his side as his majordomo. An amused Nick Chopper shook his head, and Nimmie Amee quietly giggled at the sight of the leonine king weeping happily.

Finally, the last name was called, and the boy and his tutor joined the rest awaiting for the next moment of the ceremony, which began when the Scarecrow stepped before them all.

"From this moment forward, your educational responsibilities are hereby completed." The Scarecrow began. "The next step you take in your lives is your own. Finding work in Oz, if not in Munchkinland, should be a little easier now that you have the benefit of a good education, and we have high hopes for you all. Never think of this moment as an end. It is most definitely a beginning. Some among you have already found responsibilities to apply yourselves to." He glanced to Tula, who grinned knowingly. "You may even have people approach you at the post-graduation day luncheon, which will commence shortly, with offers for work. Onward, Devotees of Thinkology! Your futures await!"

The crowd of graduates then let out a loud cheer as the crowd erupted anew. Some graduates rushed forward to hug the Scarecrow, while others actually went for Dorothy, knowing her to be Munchkinland's national heroine. As the graduates were led to their seats at the luncheon, the Princess Ozma and the rest of Dorothy's good friends anxiously stepped over to her.

"Congratulations, my wonderful little munchkin!" Ozma chimed. "I'm so proud of you!"

Aunt Em handed Toto off to Uncle Henry, and then she similarly moved to pick up Dorothy and hug her tightly. "Henry an' I are so happy for you, sweetheart!" Em exclaimed. "Y' really did it! Two years, an' y' got yourself a right good education of your own!"

"An' anoth'r job, too." Henry added, smiling as he handed Toto to the happy munchkin tutor once Aunt Em lowered Dorothy back to the ground. "Dunno what kind o' work a 'Ministress' does, but I s'pose it'll be fine work, Dor'thy."

Toto licked at Dorothy's pudgy face excitedly as his owner giggled sweetly. She then saw the Lion step up to her, with his black-striped majordomo just behind him. The leonine monarch looked like he was ready to burst into wracking sobs, although all who saw him had to respect the effort the furry king of the beasts was attempting.

He even attempted a smile as he looked down at the munchkin tutor and began to speak. "C…cuh…" He took a deep breath in his effort to regain composure.

Nick and the Scarecrow, standing behind Dorothy, seemed to quietly urge the Lion on as he continued his effort.

The Lion then held his breath, hoping this tactic would work. When he finally did speak, he sounded funny as he kept holding his breath through his words, and his frozen effort at a smile. "Congratulations, Dorothy!"

Dorothy couldn't help herself. She giggled charmingly at the Lion's inescapably visible effort to keep his composure. "Awww, _thank _you, your majesty! I'm sure you know how much courage I needed to have to be able to hold out being the way I am these past two years." She then stepped in to hug the Lion's furry leg. The Lion's face was at its zenith, and within moments of its potential bawling when he heard Dorothy's next words. "You'll always be an inspiration to me."

Nick and the Scarecrow smirked to each other knowingly. They spoke quietly. "Breakdown in three…two…_one!_"

"_BUUUUUH-HUUUH-HUUUH- HUUUH!_" Sure enough, the Lion collapsed into a sobbing fit right at the cues of his two smiling friends, who were now shaking their heads. Dorothy, however, was looking somewhat ashamedly to Nick and the Scarecrow with a smirk of her own, her hands on her hips.

Her two friends simply shrugged in response, smiling meekly.

Dorothy then felt the Lion's arms wrap around her as he picked her up with a firm, but fluffy grip. "Oh, get up here, why don'cha, _huuuh-huuuuh-huuuuuh! _I gotta…I gotta hug ya properly, y' know, _huuuuh-huuuuh-huuuh!_"

She saw the Hungry Tiger shrug amusedly as the Lion held her aloft.

He sniffled as he looked into Dorothy's munchkin eyes. "You must be so _ashamed _of me. Some courageous king _I _am."

"Oh, come on, your majesty…if I were an animal, I'd be _proud _to call you my king! Even if you _do _break down crying when you feel happy for your friends." Dorothy assured. "I'm sure your friends with the Legion of Courage feel the same way!"

The Hungry Tiger gently placed a paw on the Lion's shoulder. "She's right, my king. Even humans and munchkins tend to react similarly in situations like this."

A thought then occurred to Dorothy. "I never did get to know your friends in the Legion. I've been so busy tutoring Tula, and being so involved in Munchkinland events, that I never got a chance to come by your forest."

The Lion smiled. "It's never too late, Ministress Dorothy."

"I agree, my king." The voice sounded a little unfamilar to Dorothy, but she then saw that the tough-sounding female voice came from the large black and white-furred frame of the panda called Bo, who smiled to the munchkin tutor in the Lion's arms. "Perhaps you can come by and give us all an important lecture on how knowledge can be a powerful asset. With your tutoring done, perhaps you can make time for us?"

Dorothy had never heard Bo speak, but she did remember the Lion introducing the panda to the former human girl, so she knew who this was when she spotted her. "Sounds good to me, Bo!" she replied.

As Toto gazed up at his owner continuing to converse with the Lion and Bo, he picked up on an alluring scent, and he idly padded towards it, making his way through the crowds.

Such were the attentions of the others that they did not notice the little black terrier warily trot away. He then heard the tender voice of an old woman. "Heeeeere, boy…thaaaaat's it…"

Still entirely wary, Toto hurried his steps. He didn't like hearing the voice of an old woman he did not know. He did not want to be reminded of Almira Gulch, that wicked old shrew who demanded he be destroyed.

Toto's sniffing finally brought him close enough to the old woman that he could visually spot her…but it was largely because she was now stepping carefully over to _him_. In one hand, she held out the item that was obviously generating the admittedly delicious scent.

It was an oddly-shaped biscuit. It looked freshly-made, and very inviting to in both scent and appearance. The old woman, who was dressed in red robes and had a black eyepatch over one eye, smiled sweetly. Aside from the eyepatch, she looked generally friendly.

But she also had a pointed hat. Very much like the one worn by the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Hungry, dear?" The one-eyed woman brought the biscuit closer to the little dog. "I assure you…this is _very _tasty."

Toto would not easily let himself get suckered, and he began to growl threateningly as the old woman steadily approached him. "Oh, don't worry. I won't hurt you at all." She assured. "Aren't you hungry?"

The one-eyed woman, judging her position close enough to give the capture a try, whipped her other arm out towards the little black dog with a net she had concealed behind her…

…but Toto had not only evaded the kidnap attempt, he had also clamped his jaws down, hard, on the wrist of the old woman's net hand!

"_OOOOWWWW!_" She hollered. The little black dog bit her so hard that she dropped the net. It was official, Toto surmised. This woman was a threat. He had bitten her so hard that he felt the taste of her human blood on his tongue. The suddenness of the bite had also forced her to drop the biscuit she offered as well.

Toto released her wrist, dropped harmlessly to the ground and quickly picked up the biscuit with his jaws as the old woman gazed at the bleeding bite mark she had been given. It was his chance to retreat to the others, and he wasn't about to waste it!

Without looking back, Toto ran as fast as he could back to where he knew the others were. They now looked confused, perhaps diverted to the sound of the one-eyed woman's scream. He then heard a loud pop behind him…perhaps around the area where he had spotted the woman…as Dorothy, who was back on the ground, saw Toto race towards her.

He leaped into her surprised arms as the others turned to Dorothy. "Oooh! Hey! You okay, Toto? What's that you've got in your mouth?"

The Scarecrow looked over at the little black dog, seeing a small portion of the biscuit the dog had grabbed at the side of his canine mouth. "Looks like a cookie someone dropped! Finders, keepers…eh, Toto?"

Toto began chewing on the biscuit, which was just as tasty as the woman had said. Perhaps the most delicious biscuit he had ever eaten.

Nick looked a little wary, however, as he watched Toto devour the biscuit. "Hmmm…I wonder if that cookie had anything to do with that scream we heard."

"Or the 'pop' that followed." Ozma took a few steps toward the area Toto had fled from. Holding her hand out, she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly and deeply.

When her eyes reopened, she turned back to her curious friends. "Someone _was _there…" She then stepped over to Toto and hovered a hand over him, closing her eyes in concentration. When her eyes opened, she knelt down and rubbed at Toto's headfur, smiling.

"…but whoever it was is gone now. There's nothing wrong with Toto, either." Ozma then assured.

Although the concerns on everyone's faces had eased, Ozma still looked worried. She wished she could have at least known the _name _of whoever it was that had screamed, so that she could find that person using the Magic Picture. She knew, for sure, that it was not a cry of despair.

Because it was far too angry.

* * *

Watching Betsy giggle as wildly and in such a seemingly uncontrollable fashion certainly disturbed Locasta as she watched the Oklahoma girl with the curly, bright pink hair and the ball-like red nose tumble and stumble about. Nick Chopper was right. Something was definitely wrong with her.

She tried to think of a way to ease her out of this giddy and manic mindset in a manner that would not be too unpleasant, and it occurred to her that she could try for a far more effective version of a mind-based enchantment even humans properly educated in the non-magical version of the art could accomplish.

Hypnosis.

Leaving Betsy in a spacious room of her palace that the Oklahoma girl had made her 'playroom', Locasta acquired the only item she would need to bring about the effect she desired.

Bringing her long staff…which was topped with a stylized "N" at its head…into the room with her, she saw that Betsy was still giggling and cartwheeling about, and stumbling and giggling some more.

When she saw Locasta, she gave her a giddy wave. "Hi!"

Locasta smiled. "Are you enjoying yourself, dear?"

"Oh, yes!" Betsy responded. "I'm havin' th' time o' my _life!_" She swung her arms into the air in emphasis of this.

Locasta nodded in understanding. "Would you like to play a little game, dear? It's called 'concentration'."

Betsy, however, frowned. "Sounds _borin'_."

"Oh, no! It's actually quite fun!" Locasta then showed her young guest the staff, which had Betsy's eyes widen in awe as they settled upon the large "N". Good, Locasta thought. The head was already glittering in a manner that would hold the interest of the human eye.

"Keep your eyes on the 'N', dear." Locasta gently instructed, stepping forward slowly as she began to drift the staff head around in a circle. "Don't think of anything but the 'N'. Thaaaat's right…keeeep your eyes on it…waaatch it go aroooound and aroooound…thaaaat's right…"

Betsy's eyes remained fixed on the glittering head of the staff, her shoulders drooping as she listened to Locasta's voice instruct her to ease into a relaxed state. Her giddiness gave way to a much more serene expression, and within a few minutes, and a count to one, Betsy Bobbin was brought into a harmless trance.

"Thaaaat's right, dear. Juuuuust relax." Locasta continued. "You need only listen and respond to the soooound of my voice. Any questions I ask, you must answer honestly, and by doing so, you will feel even more relaaaaaxed and content. Any experiences I ask you to remember, you will remember as if it had juuuuust happened. Understood?"

Betsy nodded slowly, her eyes remaining open in her slack-jawed stare. With no further need for the staff at the moment, she lowered it to her side.

"Good. Veeeery good. Now, listen carefully, Betsy…" Locasta continued to speak slowly and gently as she gradually paced around her. "…last night in a forest, you met someone. What did this person look like?"

Betsy generalized her answer in one word. "Pig."

"The person was a pig?" Locasta asked. "A female pig?"

Betsy nodded. "A clown." She then added.

"A female pig clown." Locasta nodded in understanding. "And…what did this female pig clown do, dear?"

"She…played with me." Betsy gently answered. "Changed my hair…an' my nose."

"Were you scared, Betsy?"

A look of fear was now on the Oklahoma girl's face. "Yes."

"Eeeeasy, dear." Locasta had to ease her back to the comfort of the trance. "There's no reason for you to be afraid now. Juuuuust relaaaax. Now…why don't you take me back to a time before last night, when you were at your happiest? Can you tell me about that time?"

Betsy nodded. "When I was…I was flyin'. When I was…th' Queen o' Diamonds."

"Ahhhh, yesss. That was a fun time, wasn't it? The glittery skin…the hair that glowed as if it were on fire…" Locasta saw a wide smile form on Betsy's lips in her reminiscence, and she hoped this memory was far more powerful to the Oklahoma girl compared to her current situation.

"Now, listen veeeery carefully, dear…" Locasta continued. "…take us back to _this _moment. The way you are now, with your cute, round red nose and your bright pink hair. Do you like being this way?"

Betsy nodded again, smiling at this thought.

"Why is that, dear?" Locasta gently asked. "What is it about being as you are now that makes you happy?"

"I feel like…a clown." Betsy answered. "I can't feel nothin'. I'm all…tickly inside. I…I wanna _look_ like a clown. Nimmie says she wants me t' be one."

Locasta nodded in understanding. "Do you like making Nimmie happy?"

Betsy nodded in her reply. "She's nice."

"Do you like clowns, Betsy?" Locasta then asked.

Betsy hesitated before she gave her straight-faced answer. "No."

"Then why do you want to _be _one?" Locasta asked. "Just to make Nimmie happy?"

"I…I wanna be my _own _kinda clown." Betsy replied, still deep in her trance, and complying with Locasta's instructions.

Locasta wondered how Betsy would reply to her next inquiry. "What would the Queen of Diamonds think? Has Nimmie ever met her?"

Betsy shook her head. "No."

"And you know that it was the scary female pig clown who made _you _a clown, right?"

Betsy nodded.

"Why do you think she wanted to do that, dear?" Locasta asked.

"She…wanted t' play." Betsy responded, after a moment of thought on her reply.

Locasta thought on this response. "Are you afraid of the pig clown now, Betsy?"

Betsy shook her head. "No."

"Do you want to see her again?" Locasta then asked. "Do you want to _be _with her?"

Betsy nodded.

Locasta then stepped over to Betsy, holding out her aged hand. "Give me your hand, dear. I want to show you something."

Betsy complied, and the Good Witch of the North led her young guest over to a large, full-length mirror. She then swiveled it around so that the reflective mirror surface on the other side could be seen. This particular side of the mirror was surrounded by a radium frame, whereas the other side looked entirely benign. An ordinary, non-magical mirror.

Leading Betsy over to this mirror, she had her stand up straight so that she could see all of herself…from head to toe…in the reflective surface. Locasta then stepped out of the range of the mirror's reflection, speaking as she moved. "Look upon yourself now, dear. Do you see the clown you want to be?"

Betsy shook her head, looking a little sad.

"This mirror can help you, dear." Locasta explained. "Clooooose your eyes now, Betsy. Now think of the perfect clown face makeup. It is exactly the way you want your face to look. Now bring a hand above your face, and then sloooowly let it pass over your face."

Following Locasta's instructions, still deep in her trance, Betsy did not feel any different when her own hand passed over her face. There was no warmth. No feeling of makeup on her face.

"Open your eyes now, dear." Locasta slowly instructed.

When Betsy did so, her eyes widened in her amazement. The mirror reflection showed that she had the exact makeup design she had envisioned on her face! It went perfectly with her pink hair, too, with the perfect colors around her eyes and her lips to go with the clown white makeup base. The only issue remaining was in the rest of her outfit, which was still the nightgown she wore during her previous evening's sleep at the tin palace.

When she noted this, her expression went from joy to disappointment. The smile melted about a minute or so after it had appeared.

Locasta noticed this as well. "There's something wrong, isn't there? Doooon't worry, dear…the mirror can fix that, too. Cloooooose your eyes. Thaaat's riiiight." Betsy did so, and Locasta continued. "Concentrate now on the perfect clown outfit. Something that will go well with your makeup. Think loooong and haaaard if you have to…and then, when you feel you have it all ready to wear, open your eyes."

As happy as she was upon seeing her face makeup, she was quite overjoyed when she saw how she looked upon opening her eyes this time. A white ruff was wrapped around her neck, and her puffy outfit had large puffballs posing as buttons running down the center of the outfit, which had a rainbow-like design scheme in its succession of vertical lines running the full length of the outfit, each line a different color. There were ruffles at each wrist, and ruffles down by her ankles. She saw that she was wearing bright red boots with bells upon them, and toe points that curled upward. All of it was just as she had envisioned, even though she was not actually wearing any of it. Naturally, the only things that were real were her bright pink hair and her round red nose.

But it all looked so perfect to her. The ideal clown image, and one she felt she could be happy with. Her smile was a rather dreamy one as she continued to linger her gaze at the wonderfully-adorned reflection.

"It looks perfect to you, doesn't it, Betsy?" Locasta asked, arching an eyebrow.

Betsy nodded, still smiling. "Yes."

"There was one question you did not answer though, Betsy." Locasta then gently reminded. "What would the Queen of Diamonds think of all this?"

It was the one question Betsy found surprisingly difficult to answer. She went quiet, although she was still staring upon the image of her ideal clown appearance. The clown's expression, naturally, mirrored her own.

"Do you think Nimmie should meet the Queen of Diamonds?" Locasta then asked. "Do you think she would _like_ the Queen?"

"I…I don't know..." Betsy finally responded, after a long moment of silence.

With the memories of Betsy's appearance as the glittery acrobat adequately recalled, the enchanted mirror was empowered enough…and wide enough…to call upon its next unexpected trick.

As if the image were standing right behind the clown within the mirror, wearing the same expression Betsy wore, the exact image of Betsy's Queen of Diamonds aspect stepped out from behind the clown and stood idly to the right side of the clown.

Although Betsy's own expression became one of awe, the expression on the two semblances within the mirror remained unaltered.

"How is it that you became the Queen of Diamonds, Betsy?" was Locasta's next question.

"Makeup woman." Betsy softly replied, still in her trance. "Celeste."

Locasta smiled. She recognized the name. A large winkie woman she trained who was able to master cantrip magic, but could not go any farther. Celeste was surprisingly content with this.

Locasta knew Celeste to be a kind and creative woman otherwise. The effort to free Betsy from the pig clown's enchantment would have been a little easier if the Oklahoma girl knew a little more about Celeste, but the Good Witch of the North had to work with this handicap.

"Do you think Celeste is a nice woman, Betsy?" Locasta next inquired.

The pink-haired girl nodded. "Yes."

"Why, Betsy?" Locasta hoped this inquiry would be the difference maker. "What was it about Celeste that made her different from the pig clown?"

Another long moment of silence followed as Betsy considered this. The expressions on the faces of both images in the mirror now looked curious as they stared back at Betsy.

Betsy first considered the pig clown. A stranger she had just met. Fun, but scary for the fact that she had led the wary girl into a deep, dark portion of a forest. She had stalked Betsy, and had then unexpectedly imposed her current alterations on her. Perhaps a hint of things to come for the Oklahoma girl.

And then, there was Celeste's creation. The Queen of Diamonds. Although Celeste was also a stranger, she was just as lively as the pig clown. She was expected, too, as Betsy needed a makeup job for her performance as the acrobat in the showcasing of her friend, Oscar Diggs. She didn't feel very worried around Celeste, and it was her first real experience of being physically altered by magic.

Betsy began to see the difference now, realizing that Celeste's Queen of Diamonds design, although unexpected, was essentially the makeup job Betsy needed.

The pig clown, on the other hand, gave Betsy something she never asked for. The porcine creature had even tried to give her the appearance of a type of entertainer she normally did not like.

And then, it came to Betsy.

Her appearance as the Queen of Diamonds…unlike the pig clown's enchantment…was _temporary. _Celeste had even assured her of this.

Whereas the pig clown never gave Betsy any choice. She imposed the current alterations upon the Oklahoma girl against her will. Although the Queen of Diamonds appearance was unexpected, it was the makeup job Betsy needed.

And she _loved _it.

"I…I wanted what Celeste gave me." Betsy finally replied.

Locasta smiled in her relief. At the same time, the images of the clown and the Queen of Diamonds now pressed their hands upon their sides of the mirror. The clown used her left hand, and the glittery queen used her right. The fingers were spread out slightly as the palms pressed against their side of the mirror reflection.

Betsy tilted her head curiously, although she realized what this meant in the next moment.

She was being called upon to make a choice.

Yet, even as she raised a hand to meet that of the Queen of Diamonds, she hesitated, glancing at her perfect clown semblance. Her thoughts were of the fun she imagined she could have as a clown.

But it was the fun she _knew _she could have as the Queen of Diamonds compared to being a clown. She remembered how many people had enjoyed her performance. She saw their amazement at her acrobatic work.

What would being a clown get her, she asked herself? Laughs. Her being silly, even if it was meant as harmless entertainment. Much of that laughter would remind her of the mocking laughter the other kids at the orphanage had taunted her with. She didn't want to have to deal with that possibility.

But then, the clown image's other hand went to her round red nose, and she squeezed it once. No sound could be heard.

The image then looked to Betsy curiously, squeezing the nose again, and silently indicating that she could hear no sound. Indicating her ear, she seemed to indicate that Betsy…the real one…needed to squeeze hers so the sound could be heard.

But Betsy knew what would happen if she did that.

Further, with Betsy in a trance state, and in the comfort of the thoughts she herself had rationalized, the real Oklahoma girl knew what needed to happen next. A reflection of the decision she had made in that very moment.

Her hand pressed against the offered imprint of the Queen of Diamonds.

Although she feared that the clown image would look sad, its giddy expression did melt to a more neutral expression, while the image of the Queen of Diamonds now smiled in her relief. The real Betsy even felt the warmth and texture of human skin upon her hand, even though it was a mirror image!

The image of the clown, however, now had a bit of an _angry_ expression upon her face.

The smiling face of the Queen of Diamonds suddenly went serious, and the digits of the mirror image suddenly curled between the spread-out digits of the real Betsy's hand and held tight!

In the next moment, the tickle-wrought numbness all over Betsy's body began to dissolve as the clown image now screamed angrily and hatefully, her fists clenched furiously as her body began to look transparent, fading from view. At the same time, Betsy felt warm sensations at her hair and her nose, and she saw the roundness of her nose begin to shrink and re-form a more human appearance.

All throughout this incredible moment, the eyes of the image of the Queen of Diamonds glowed with a bright golden light. The image's focus was on the real Betsy, completely ignoring the hateful screaming of the disappearing clown next to her.

In the next moment, the clown was completely gone, and Locasta saw that Betsy's hair and nose had been restored.

This also had the effect of bringing Betsy out of her trance completely, and her eyes widened and blinked rapidly. Her free hand went to her nose.

Much to Betsy's amazement and relief, it felt completely human.

She noticed that her other hand, however, was being held by an image of herself that wore the glittery skin, the outfit, and the fiery hair of the Queen of Diamonds. Its tight grip loosened, and then let Betsy go.

Stepping away from Betsy, the real Oklahoma girl saw the skin, the hair, and the outfit of her mirror image dissolve to reflect how Betsy Bobbin looked at this very moment.

A young girl freed from alterations wrought by what Locasta suspected to be a dark enchantment.

The kind old witch's smile widened, relieved that Betsy had made a choice the Good Witch of the North was in full agreement with. She knew Glinda would be equally pleased, too, were she here to witness this. Locasta then stepped over to the mirror and swiveled it to expose its other, non-magical side, realizing its enchanted side had done its good work.

Betsy gave her nose a morbidly curious squeeze, but she thankfully heard no funny noise. Her nose felt, in every respect, like a human nose once more. Although she certainly felt relief with this, her expression couldn't help but betray a sense of regret.

Locasta placed a hand on Betsy's shoulder in her concern. "What's wrong, dear?"

"I guess Nimmie can't have her clown." Betsy lamented.

Locasta giggled at this. "Why not introduce her to the Queen of Diamonds someday? I think Nimmie would enjoy that so much more than to see you in clown makeup. Just think of how many people loved that show, myself included! You were _amazing_ during that performance, Betsy! I think if you asked Emperor Nicholas, you could easily come up with an excuse to do a show in which the Queen makes a re-appearance."

The smile returned to Betsy's face upon hearing this rationale. "Yeah…I guess you're right." A thought then occurred to the Oklahoma girl which dissolved her smile once again. "What do y' think that pig clown was, Locasta?"

The benevolent old witch gave this question a bit of thought before she answered. "Well…I'm afraid I could only guess, but…maybe you can help me figure it out, Betsy. Do you remember what the pig clown looked like? Was her head the only thing about her that was pig-like? Did she look human otherwise?"

Betsy shook her head. "She was as fat as a pig. She had hooves, too. Hands an' feet."

Locasta nodded. "Then it might not be one of the phanfasms. Those creatures are distinct in that they _look_ human, but their heads have been changed into those of various animals."

Betsy couldn't help but be curious about this. "Were th' phanfasms human once?"

"According to Glinda, yes." Locasta confirmed. "A long time ago, during the reign of King Pastoria, they tried to invade the land of Oz. They were all defeated and banished to a mountain range on the other side of the deadly desert. Back then, they were protectors and sympathizers of animals. In a way, they still are. But now, they're all erbs, and erbs have one thing in common. They're all irredeemably evil semblances of what they used to be. In the case of the phanfasms, their love of animals was twisted and corrupted. I fancy that's why their ruler, a very powerful sorcerer called the First and Foremost, gave his people…many of whom had been compelled by magic to serve him against their natural wills…the animal heads they wear to this very day."

"But…what is it that turns a human into an erb?" Betsy asked.

"That's something else we have yet to figure out." Locasta answered. "All we know is that we banished Lord Phan and his people to the faraway mountain range called Mount Phantastico. Obviously, something within the mountains corrupted and changed them into the erbs they became."

Betsy nodded. "But if th' pig clown wasn't a phanfasm, what was she? I heard someone talk about erbs b'fore. Said one of 'em was a…a 'carna-somethin''."

Locasta nodded. "We've never actually encountered one of the carnevillans. Glinda suspects they are the newest species of erb."

"Well…if y' ask me, Locasta," Betsy mused. "I think I jus' met one of 'em."

Locasta frowned in confusion. "What makes you think that?"

Betsy's response made the logic all too clear to the Good Witch of the North. "'Cause anoth'r word for circus…is th' word _carnival._"

* * *

**Note that the backstory of the phanfasms…and the concept of the carnevillans…are unique to my stories. Mr. Baum never elaborated on the origins of the erbs when he introduced the phanfasms in book 6, ****_The Emerald City of Oz._**


	10. X: Love's Labours

**X: Love's Labours**

Upon returning from the graduation ceremony in Munchkinland, Nick drove Nimmie back to the tin palace. Prime Minister Gruf had reported that a munchkin woman named Margolotte had been the cause of a bit of excitement in their absence. Fortunately, the winkie guards were able to restrain Scraps once they caught up with her during a mad dash for the front gate. They had left moments before the arrival of the tin carriage, with two mounted soldiers of the Rainbow Dragoons in escort.

Having been told by Nimmie that she had not eaten since breakfast, Nick had prepared a full meal for her, practically taking her by surprise as the beautiful little munchkin settled herself at a table within the emperor's palace to eat.

As she continued eating, she could not help but make an amusing observation. "Seems like _you're_ going to be the one preparing meals for me, eh?"

Nick, sitting across from her, chuckled at this. "I guess so! I really don't mind, though. I think it's quite humbling when you consider that so many other munchkin families seem to have the wife preparing meals for the husband. Not that there's any complaining, though…after all, munchkins as a whole are very hard workers, as we both know."

Nimmie nodded, smiling. Her next inquiry was a little more thoughtful. "Do you miss being small, Nicholas?"

Nick looked concerned for what she might be getting at. "Nimmie...I honestly don't mind having to kneel down to…"

Nimmie giggled as she interjected. "I _know _you don't, silly! Just answer the question! I'm just curious! I mean…technically, you're the tallest munchkin in Oz now. Do you miss being small?"

Nick gave the question a fair bit of thought as Nimmie continued to eat, and then nodded. "Yes, Nimmie. There have been times where I _do_ miss being as small as the average munchkin. Sometimes, I worry that if I ever decided to go back among them, I'd obviously stick out like a sore thumb."

Nimmie tilted her head curiously. "Would that bother you much?"

"That would depend on how everyone felt about me." Nick thoughtfully replied. "Besides…being a tall man among small people, they'd think I'd develop a superiority complex, and I wouldn't want that." They both had a good laugh over this amusing reply.

Now, however, it was Nick's turn to look curious. "Why do you ask, Nimmie? You haven't changed your mind about staying here, have you? If there's anything about the tin palace you didn't like, I could…"

"Oh, no, Nicholas. I didn't mean anything like that at all." Nimmie gently assured in her quick interjection. "Don't worry…I'm not bothered by your being taller than me. I know the kind of man you are. You'll always be that brave and handsome munchkin who earned my affections whether you're in a large tin body or not. I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise."

Nick then lowered to a knee in front of the munchkin he loved. He had to present this question, even though he knew it might alarm her. "Nimmie…I have to ask. You don't have to answer right away, but…how would you feel about becoming the Empress of the winkies?"

Nimmie blinked in her expected surprise. She had known Nick for a long enough time to realize that there was no better man she could spend the rest of her life with, but it was the _manner_ in which the proposal was made that threw her.

After a long moment, she finally broke the silence that followed. "Nicholas…are you asking me to marry you?"

"Well…to be honest, that _was _going to be my next question," Nick bashfully admitted. "but…I wanted to know how you felt about being called an Empress first. I mean…if everyone is calling me the Emperor, and I do marry you, everyone will start calling you an Empress. Or…so I've learned from Dorothy."

"Do you think I should be concerned, Nicholas?" Nimmie asked.

"Would I be right if I surmised that you would be?" Nick countered.

Nimmie slipped off her chair, her feet firmly on the ground in front of the kneeling emperor. She looked deeply into his eyes and placed her hands upon his tin-plated shoulders.

"Nothing would make me more happy than to agree to be your wife, Nicholas…" Nimmie began. "…but you're right to suspect my concern, too. I'd like to be able to help you carry the burden of leadership, but…I can't do that unless I get to know the people you serve first. For one thing, I've never actually _been _in the Winkie Country very much. I need to know its culture. Meet some of its more popular people. Get an idea for what kind of business interests the people the most. Know what I mean?"

Nick nodded in understanding. He then arched an eyebrow. "And get a circus started up?"

Nimmie shrugged, smiling meekly. "Like I said…I enjoy a good circus. Even the best leaders would agree that it would be a benefit. Especially in a land ruled by the kindest tin man in all of Oz."

Nick smiled. "Betsy would certainly get a kick out of that, seeing as how she's a circus performer herself…although the last time she performed for us, she was no clown. She was a high-flying acrobat. The Queen of Diamonds, they called her. If only you could have seen that performance, Nimmie."

Nimmie crossed her arms in front of her, pouting cutely. "Well, if I decide to be your Empress, I could _order _you to have the Queen of Diamonds perform for us."

Nick chuckled in his amusement. He then gently placed a hand on Nimmie's shoulder. "Could I ask you to kiss me again, for the time being?"

Nimmie closed the distance between them, placing her munchkin hands at the sides of his tin-plated head. "Yes, my Emperor."

Their lips pressed together, lovingly, in the next moment.

* * *

Ozma smiled, gazing upon the image of Nick Chopper and his munchkin beloved kissing each other in her magic picture.

She then neutralized the image and turned back to another matter that she needed to address, this one a far more personal concern.

And as she stared upon the headless wooden figure, and the large, faceless pumpkin, she began to lose herself in her own memories of the past…

* * *

_Tippetarius had just emerged from Mombi's farmhouse to take a break. Cleaning out her large cauldron was not only a cautious affair for all the cold water that needed to be used to cool down the often searing hot iron__surface, but also to clean out its horrible-smelling interior._

_Mombi, after all, used the cauldron largely to make a variety of potions. Invisibility potions, growth potions, shrinking potions, memory loss potions…she was in considerable business during the reign of the Wicked Witches of the East and the West, and sometimes the rulers themselves stopped by to acquire some of her wares. _

_Much of the odors Tip had to deal with were horrific, and cleaning the cauldron had more often than not made him light-headed afterwards. The only time that Mombi herself had forbidden her young slave to clean up after her was when she had made a draught of a potion which made it possible for a male to become a female, which struck Tip as being particularly odd at the time._

_Tip had, for a considerably long period of time, accepted the belief that in no way would he be able to please Mombi. There would always be a reason for her to gripe and complain, and often about something Tip had done. However little, however big. There were even times when she would punish Tip. Bloat his body for days at a time. Remove his mouth, or some other human sense. Give him a horribly inconvenient tail, or tusks. Often, such cruelty would even happen on a whim. No reasons would be needed. Never once would Mombi extend the courtesy of asking if he could be her guinea pig. She would just go ahead and torment him._

_These, of course, were the days before his ultimate fate. The day when Mombi would grow so fed up with her servant that she would find a way to ultimately be rid of him._

_Eventually, Tip's own tolerance of the wicked old crone's mistreatment would reach its limit, and it was upon what would become the last day of his active service to Mombi that he had decided to pull a trick of his own._

_He had thought of this trick for days, but he had never actually acted on it. Tip had already collected the wood pieces he would need, and they were the right lengths for him to be able to build it. Tip was also charged with growing all the needed crops as well, so he had an adequately-sized pumpkin. It was just a matter of carving a scary face into it._

_Mombi had gone for one of her typically long barter visits to Doctor Nikidik, which was the name Doctor Pipt had been called before a terribly inconvenient scandal among the crooked wizards of which he was a part forced him to change his name. Tip therefore had all the time he needed to work, although he hoped that Mombi's visit would not be shorter than most, or she would be able to catch her servant in the act of arranging what Tip hoped would be a potent fright._

_And all Mombi needed to do was to open the front door to her farmhouse._

_Tip made sure the face he carved was particularly frightening. By this point, the consequences didn't matter to him. He didn't have enough fingers and toes combined to count how many times Mombi had tormented him. Perhaps this fright would send that miserable witch a message that there was only so far she could go before Tip put his foot down and made his message clear._

_Enough is enough!_

_Who knows, Tip had thought. Perhaps he could earn himself a dollop of respect from the old crone. Like he had finally shown some nerve rather than constantly submit to the witch's torment. Even if that would not be the end result, he honestly felt that he had to do this._

_An hour before Mombi appeared on the short road back to her farmhouse, Tip was busy at work in the rear of the house, feeding the old woman's four-horned cow. He could hardly wait to hear the reaction when Mombi opened the door._

_Her howl of complete fright curled the corners of Tip's mouth satisfyingly upward…_

_…__although she also heard the crashing of potion bottles as well. Tip's elated expression did not change._

_At least, not until he suddenly lost control of his limbs. His arms were now spread to the sides, the fingertips of the hands spread out and touching upon the soil below him. His legs were also spread out, and he felt his knees touch the ground. With the whispered utterance of words Tip did not understand, he felt himself crawl over…much like a spider…to where Mombi stood. She held out her hand like a claw as he approached her. He could not even speak, nor even look up at her._

_He didn't need to to comprehend what she did next. In her rage, she had set upon the pumpkin-headed statue he had built, and he heard her break each and every wooden limb in her vengeful fury. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the pumpkin had dropped off, and it had cracked._

_Mombi then stepped over to him, and upon picking up the pumpkin smashed it violently upon the ground in front of him, staining his face in its juices. He could only hear her growl in her lingering rage as the juices dripped off his face. "I KNOW you're behind this, you little BRAT! These potions were EXPENSIVE! The material components are RUINED! For all your skulking about like a spider in my absence, I've gone WAY PAST the limits of my patience! I KNEW you would do something like this to me someday! I __warned__you not to test me!"_

_He knew, as he spoke, that she was surging yet another spell upon him. He felt everything below his neck, save for his limbs, bloat considerably, and his vision began to blur. Four points of bulging pressure could be felt at the sides of his body as he heard his clothes begin to rip._

_"__You can bawl your laments in the Quadling__Forest__from now on!" Mombi gloated, watching her servant boy…who now had a second pair of eyes…continue his horrible mutation. "I owe that lonely spider over there for giving me the silks I needed last week anyway! You might as well keep that hungry beast company for the rest of your wretched, eight-legged life!"_

_Before the shock of his change lapsed him into unconsciousness, he felt two large, curved, sharp mandibles burst from the sides of his mouth. Beyond that, everything went black._

_And when his four eyes once again saw light, it became apparent that he needed to get used to crawling around within the Quadling __Forest __on eight limbs, rather than two._

_At least, until Glinda had freed him…and revealed the fairy girl he __really __was._

* * *

A shudder ran through the fairy princess as she remembered Mombi's cruelty, and even the memory of the vivid transformation she had put Tip through sent a chill up her spine.

As she had made a habit of doing, she had already checked on Mombi a few hours ago. She was still, quite pathetically, pretending to be a farmer. As Ozma had done so many times before since becoming the ruler of Oz, she confirmed that Mombi was still the powerless old woman she had been since Glinda deprived her of her knowledge of magic.

Passing her golden wand over the large pumpkin Dorothy had given her, a hole formed beneath it, and a traditional pumpkin face…this one more benign and unthreatening, unlike the first one she built to successfully frighten Mombi when she was Tip…formed upon one side of the pumpkin.

Now that the pumpkin was ready, she fastened it securely to the neck area of the wooden stick figure. Smiling, she produced the white packet Ozma had acquired from Doctor Pipt before attending the graduation ceremony, and opened it up.

In the moment she gave the packet…filled with a portion of the good doctor's Powder of Life…a momentous kiss, she remembered in that moment the name she had given the pumpkin-headed figure she built in her time as Tip. She then sprinkled the packet's sparkling contents over the fullness of the sitting stick figure's pumpkin-headed body.

"Happy Birthday, Jack." Ozma happily whispered as she saw the limbs of her creation begin to slowly move.

She then saw her creation rise to his feet, examining each of his limbs. The eyes of Jack's pumpkin face then looked upon those of his overjoyed creator.

"Well!" was Jack's first word, his breaking voice funny-sounding in its adolescent tone. "_You _look awfully happy."

Ozma just shrugged, still grinning in her elation. "It's your birthday, Jack. Birthdays are always a happy occasion."

A thin finger of his wooden hand went to his mouth in his curiosity. "If I knew what a birthday _was, _I would have reason to be happy, too. Jack? Is that my name?"

Ozma nodded, suppressing an amused giggle.

Jack's head tilted to the side. "But…what do I call _you?_"

"Well…I created you." Ozma replied, shrugging cutely once again. "I guess I'm your mother, Jack."

"Mother? Well! Um…it's nice to meet you, mother!" Jack then offered a cordial bow. "My name is Jack. Because that is the name you gave me, mother."

"And it's a very nice name, if I do say so myself." Ozma replied.

"Is it? Well! If you say so." Jack then looked down at himself. "Why do I feel like I'm _missing _something?"

Ozma frowned in confusion at first, but then blushed quite deeply. "Oh, dear…all this time putting you together, and you have nothing to wear. I suppose a little trip to a clothing market is in order. Fortunately, there is one downstairs, and not that far from the palace…" She made her way to the front door of her boudoir. After opening it, she turned her head to Jack. "Stay here. I'll be right back. Don't move an inch."

Five quiet minutes passed, and Jack did exactly as he was told, standing as still as a statue.

A knock was then heard at the door, and a female voice was heard. "Maintenance."

After a few seconds, Jellia Jamb opened the door and stepped into the room to begin her normal cleaning and dusting regimen…

…but upon spotting Jack, she stopped, and stepped slowly towards the pumpkin-headed stick figure. Jellia had to admit to herself that the figure was a bit scary to look at, with its thin body, thin limbs, and its oversized head. The face on the pumpkin's side did look like a traditional pumpkin face carving, though. Looking around, she did not see any sign of a carving knife, so she figured it was magic that had created the facial visage.

Jellia had her face up _very _close to the pumpkin's head now, feeling at the sides of the carvings. She then stepped back a bit, nodding her head as she marveled at the…

"Is there something I can _help _you with?"

The cleaning implements in Jellia's hands were now airborne as she shrieked with fright, lurching back and nearly stumbling to the ground in her shock. Jack couldn't help but be puzzled, though. After all, he had been told not to _move_. Mother didn't say anything about not _speaking!_

"Dear me!" Jack continued, his body still statue-rigid. "You're _awfully_ jumpy."

Jellia straightened her glasses, which were now on an angle against her nose as she looked back up to the statuesque creation. "Did…did _Ozma _make you?"

"Ozma?" Jack sounded very puzzled now. "Who's _that?_ _Mother_ made me! Ozma…what an _odd _name!"

Jellia blinked in her confusion. "Mother isn't exactly a _name. _It's more of a kind of _status_. What did your mother _look _like?"

"Oh, she is quite beautiful." Jack replied. "Curly brown hair, sparkling white dress, golden headpiece with two of the largest flowerheads I've ever seen at the sides of her head."

Jellia nodded, smiling in her relief. "Your mother's name is Ozma. Princess Ozma." She held out a hand. "I'm Jellia Jamb, the head maid here at the Royal Palace."

Jack didn't understand the handshake gesture, but as he had been instructed not to move, he remained still. "My name is Jack. Because that is the name mother gave me. When was your head made, if I may ask?"

Jellia blinked in her confusion. "Um…I…I've always had a head. For as long as I've been born."

"But you said you head was made here."

Jellia's eyes widened in her complete puzzlement. "My head was made he…OH!" Jellia then began to giggle considerably when she realized Jack's error in perception. "I'm sorry, Jack…I misunderstood you! I am a M-A-I-D. When I say I'm the head m-a-i-d, it means I am the leader of the maids. The person in charge of all the other maids. As a maid, my job is to clean up around the royal palace with the help of the maids I'm in charge of. I had thought the room was empty, but…well, I didn't know _you _were here."

"Well! I still think I was right!" Jack then noted.

Jellia frowned, confused once more. "How do you mean?"

"You still _make _things, my dear." Jack replied. "You make things clean, yes? Your head certainly looks clean…and quite nice, if I do say so myself. That thing on your nose does look odd, though. Why do you have that?"

Jellia didn't expect this question, and her head lowered as she explained. "A really nasty, green-skinned old hag messed with my eyesight using her magic. She tried to get me to serve as her maid at her castle, but I refused. The Wizard of Oz gave me these so I could see normally."

"How rude of that hag!" Jack huffed. "I hope you can get your eyes fixed someday. What happened to the hag? Is she still around? Can mother do anything about her?"

Jellia smiled as her head rose back up. "She won't have to. A very brave girl from Kansas named Dorothy Gale destr…uh, defeated her. By accident."

Jack once again sounded puzzled. "How do you accidentally defeat someone?"

Jellia shrugged, smiling. "By exposing a weakness you don't know the other person has. Dorothy saw that the hag had started a fire on one of her friends, so she used a bucket of water to put it out. The hag, however, had a curse on her that made her sensitive to water, and she melted away completely."

"Who cursed the hag?" The pumpkin-headed man asked.

Jellia shrugged once again. "No one knows."

"I'm sure we'll find out, sooner or later." Ozma noted as she opened the door to her boudoir, startling Jack and Jellia. Draped over one arm were clothes wrought in attractive-looking fabrics, and the fingers of that arm's hand held a pair of elegantly-designed shoes. "These are the finest-looking clothes they had, Jack. I think my son should look like a perfect gentleman."

"Well! Sounds nice." Jack replied. "May I move now, mother? Or should I call you Ozma? Or Princess Ozma?"

Ozma started by adorning the top portions…a white-spotted pink waistcoat first, and then a purple silk jacket with tails. Jellia helped her with the dressing of Ozma's creation as the princess answered. "You can call me whichever name you feel more comfortable with, Jack…and yes, you may move now."

"Oh! How nice. Personally, I think 'mother' sounds more endearing." Jack observed as knit stockings went onto his wooden feet, followed by a pair of purple trousers. The shoes went on last, and a wave of Ozma's golden wand made the initially jaunty appearance of the clothes fit perfectly, as if they were tailored to him.

Once they were done, Jellia and Ozma stepped back to get a good look at their handiwork, smiling in their satisfaction.

"He looks _very _dapper, your highness." Jellia noted, smiling as she nodded appraisingly.

Ozma turned to the head maid. "Jellia Jamb…" She then gestured to her son. "…this is my son. Jack Pumpkinhead."

Jack bowed cordially. "The head maid of the Royal Palace. We've met. She was telling me of the reason she wears that…thing…sitting on her nose."

Ozma giggled. "They're called glasses, Jack. Yes…that witch's spell ran deep. Not an easy one to remove, I'm afraid."

"It's okay, Jack. I've gotten used to it." Jellia assured.

Jack nodded. "And you can use them to conveniently quench your thirst, too!"

The pumpkin-headed gentleman once again had not one, but two looking at him with the most baffled of expressions when he made this observation.

Obviously, the pumpkin's embedded seeds…which Ozma had enchanted to serve as Jack's thinking centers…should have been given a little more work.

But at least her son was reborn, at last.

* * *

Once Locasta had released Betsy, she decided to wander through one of the nearby market areas of the Gillikin Country, which was not too far from the palace of the Good Witch of the North. It was entirely odd that she was offered so many things by street vendors without any prices quoted. Everything was being freely given away, and it didn't hurt the feelings of the vendors to hear Betsy refuse them. She did accept a very healthy-looking apple, however, and she crunched into it as she continued her wanders.

It was at the mention of Mrs. Yoop by a passing gillikin in conversation with her friend, however, that got Betsy thinking about how Woot was faring in his new life, so to speak. The curiosity continued to linger with her as she kept walking among the many other gillikins.

She then spotted one of the taxis she had seen around the populations of the land, and an orange horse stood idly by as the driver was in the midst of a meal break.

_Should_ she go back, she thought to herself? Would such a disturbance compel Mrs. Yoop to make good on the warning she gave? No…that was only in the event that she revealed what the Yookoohoo had done to Woot. She had said nothing.

The impulse grew stronger as she slowly approached the taxi.

The driver then noticed the purple-clad Oklahoma girl, so adorned by Locasta prior to her leaving the palace. He had to swallow his meal before speaking. "Aye, gillikin! Might we take ye someplace?"

By the time she had reached the taxi to the point where she could step right into it, she had made up her mind. She wasn't sure, however, if the driver would be willing. "If y' can, I'd like t' go to that Yoop Castle, please."

Predictably, the cabbie…who had a bushy style of facial hair…widened his eyes in surprise. "Ye don' wanna go _there, _m' wee gillikin! Right _dangerous_ place, it is!"

But Betsy's tone was firm and resolute. "Jus' get me as close as y' can. That's all I ask. If I have t' walk all th' way there, I will."

The cabbie, despite his hesitant expression, nodded. "Right. Step aboard, gillikin."

He directed his green mount along a route which took them past Loonville, and then he had his pink mount to come to a halt once they were within distant sight of Yoop Castle. "This be as far as I go."

"This is fine. Thanks." Betsy replied as she stepped off the taxi. The cabbie rushed his taxi away from the area as the Oklahoma girl began her approach to the domain of the yookoohoo.

When Yoop Castle once again loomed before Betsy following her short hike along the remaining distance, the Oklahoma girl was inescapably very nervous. She could feel it in her gut. How was she going to do this, she thought? Something as simple as a knock on one of the huge doors seemed just a little too easy.

There was no telling what kind of mood Mrs. Yoop would be in, too. She could be at her most imperious, in which case there was a chance that what started out as a well-meaning reunion could become a permanent relocation, and an equally permanent transformation as well.

The area was quiet, though. She could not hear anything going on within the castle…but then, Betsy remembered that the doors were considerably thick. Even if there was something going on, the Oklahoma girl would likely be unable to hear it no matter how close she got to the doors.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped a little closer to the doors. Her breaths were inescapably fearful ones as she approached, one careful step at a time. When she was finally close enough to the doors, she gave it three hard knocks.

She waited for a long moment, and then knocked another three times. Her raps were a little harder this time.

Betsy had to conclude that they were either too deep into the castle for them to hear her rapping, or they had stepped out.

A little disappointed that she had come all this way for nothing, Betsy accepted that the unannounced visit was badly-timed, and turned to leave.

"Well, well. Surprise, surprise." Mrs. Yoop, holding Woot in her arms, and with an empty wicker basket hanging from the elbow of one of her arms, flashed an ominous smile as she looked down at the smaller human. "Welcome back, Betsy."

The Oklahoma girl logically froze where she stood, swallowing audibly as she stared back up at the yookoohoo.

Mrs. Yoop arched an eyebrow. "Have you been honoring your promise, dear?"

Betsy nodded her head. "N…no one…knows. I…I didn't tell Nick. Or Ozma."

The green monkey in the arms of the giantess had a much nicer smile on his face. "It's great to see you again, Betsy."

Betsy smiled back. "Hi, Woot. I hope you're doin' OK."

Woot nodded. "Oh, yeah. I'm still kind of getting used to being like this, but…I think I just need a little more time."

"Perhaps Betsy can help you." Mrs. Yoop ominously mused. "Don't you think she would make a nice, furry playmate, pet?"

Woot sighed, looking warily up at the giantess. "Mrs. Yoop, _please_. She's keeping her promise!"

Mrs. Yoop lightly giggled. "Relax, dear Woot. Yookoohoos can joke around just as much as you humans can. Betsy has nothing to worry about." She then looked to Betsy. "We were sharing a late walkaround. Would you like to join us?"

Betsy frowned in confusion. "Walkaround?"

"Exercise." Woot replied, generalizing what the giantess meant.

"You can both walk behind me, but keep up." Mrs. Yoop advised, lowering the green monkey to the ground. "I don't want you both to upset me by falling behind."

"Yes, Mrs. Yoop." Woot acknowledged.

The giantess then turned her expectant gaze on Betsy. Woot gave her a subtle nudge.

"Oh! Sorry." Betsy blushed deeply. "Yes, Mrs. Yoop."

Nodding in satisfaction, Mrs. Yoop then turned her head back to the road ahead of her and began moving along her daily path around the castle. Betsy and Woot walked side by side as they talked, always glancing at the giantess to make sure they were within sight of her.

"So did you find Nimmie?" Woot first asked.

"Yup, we did." Betsy confirmed. "Took some doin', though. We had t' deal with a big ol' Hip-po-gy-raf, an' get a gold'n cap back from a bat-wing'd ape."

Woot nodded. "So what happened? Did they get back together again?"

"They sure did, Woot." Betsy smiled. "Nimmie went back to th' tin palace with Nick. Don't know what they're up to, though. I…kinda got sidetrack'd."

Woot frowned. "How do you mean?"

"A pig clown was playin' around with me." Betsy explained, stopping to take a moment to hurry forward alongside Woot to keep up with the yookoohoo. "I thought it was some girl that was lost. Locasta help'd me out o' what she did t' me."

"What did she do to you?"

"Tried t' turn _me_ into some kinda clown." Betsy replied.

"Really? That doesn't sound so bad." Woot observed. "They make people laugh."

"Yeah, but they try too hard t' do it." Betsy countered. "They look too silly."

Woot nodded. "You look better as the Queen of Diamonds anyway."

Mrs. Yoop then stopped, and placed the wicker basket on the ground below her. She faced a portion of the area which sloped down to an area of the forest they were walking through. She then turned to her two companions.

"Time to go up?" Woot asked, seeming eager to do this.

The giantess nodded. "See what you can find up there. Any loose branches. You know the routine."

"Yes, Mrs. Yoop." Woot then began climbing up the trees.

The yookoohoo then looked down, somewhat authoritatively, at Betsy. "You can go down th…" She stopped herself, and her expression became softer now. "…um, Betsy…would you please be a dear and look for any rocks and pebbles and twigs and fallen branches down there? Any big rocks you can bring up would be great as well." Seeing Betsy's frown, and remembering the manner of proper conduct Woot had explained to her, she then added one more mitigating assurance. "I…promise to reward you with anything you might wish to eat, or drink, if you do."

Mrs. Yoop could not help but find this method of asking for help more than a bit distasteful, but gone were the days when yookoohoos were dominant and commanding presences meant to be feared and, in some cases, worshipped. Woot's rationale attempted to ease her out of this kind of thinking, and seeing as how she had the green monkey she had always wanted, and he had agreed to stay with her willingly, the giantess decided to give Woot's more humble, reward-based approach a try.

At least, for awhile. The yookoohoo wasn't entirely certain she could make a lasting habit of it.

But Betsy nodded in acceptance of the favor, and she made her way down to begin collecting what Mrs. Yoop had asked of her.

The giantess could not help but smile, seeing Betsy go to lower ground while Mrs. Yoop more or less loomed above her. She always had to remind herself, as Betsy worked, that the purple-clad girl was true to her word, and there was no just cause for punishing her. The yookoohoo still felt inescapably dominant as she watched Woot's friend work.

When they both had bundles of various twigs, branches, pebbles and carryable rocks, Mrs. Yoop pointed to the empty basket.

This earned her a pair of dirty looks.

Initially aghast, she suddenly realize she had forgotten to say the all-important word. "Please."

They both nodded and dropped their loads in the basket. Going back to search for more, they continued until the basket was full. Mrs. Yoop then lifted the largest of the rocks that had been found and looked to Betsy. "What would you like to eat, dear? Or would you prefer a drink?"

"I'm not really hungry. Or thirsty." Betsy admitted. "But thanks for the off'r, Mrs. Yoop." In truth, Betsy was starting to feel a little hungry, but she wanted to hold out until she visited Dorothy back in Munchkinland.

The yookoohoo nodded, looking a little disappointed. She then heard Woot loudly clear his throat as he gave her an expectant stare.

Once again, Mrs. Yoop had forgotten a social grace Woot had taught her. "Oh! Uh…you're welcome, Betsy." Picking up the wicker basket, she resumed her walkaround. "Let's continue."

Betsy and Woot again kept the yookoohoo in sight as she continued her walking pace. "I saw you movin' around up there" Betsy noted. "I guess y' really got th' hang o' bein' a monkey."

"That's the best part of these walks, though. I really get to stretch my legs." Woot explained. "Sometimes, I even feel like you, when you were jumping about in that performance."

Betsy nodded, smiling. "I guess you're really happy now. Both of you."

"I know it sounds strange, but yes." Woot confirmed. "Sometimes, it's work, but we do have playtimes together. Others might find it weird, but I think being a pet and playing around like a monkey does isn't all that bad. I've even been teaching her things. Did you notice how she wanted to reward you with food or drink? I was able to convince her to try doing that with guests like you."

"Think she'll keep doin' it, though?" Betsy asked.

"Probably not." Woot admitted. "I mean, she _is _a yookoohoo."

Another thought occurred to Betsy. "Do y' think she might know anythin' 'bout erbs?"

"Erbs? I never heard her say anything about…whatever they are." Woot replied. "I can ask later, though. Why?"

"They're s'posed t' be really bad creatures." Betsy replied. "I think that pig clown I met was one of 'em. So was that ape with th' bat wings."

"I still don't see why being turned into a clown is a bad thing." Woot remarked.

"If that really was an erb that tried t' do that," Betsy responded. "that's bad enough. Maybe they kidnap kids for their circuses."

Woot nodded. "And the pig clown didn't ask you before she changed you, did she?"

Betsy shook her head. Woot was aware that Mrs. Yoop was no different in this regard either, but as things played out, that was no longer much of a concern.

It's not like he had a mother and a father to go back to, after all, and Mrs. Yoop did not turn out to be as problematic as Woot initially feared. As a foster parent, she wasn't too bad.

Once they were back in front of the castle, Mrs. Yoop stopped once again, and then leveled a finger at the door. "Open." The thick doors slowly parted, revealing the entrance chamber Betsy remembered.

Mrs. Yoop then turned back to Betsy, lowering to a knee. "Woot and I must go back inside. If you insist on joining us, that will be your choice, but I cannot trust myself to offer the kind of social graces Woot has been advising me to perform. I may not be able to keep myself from wanting you to become another pet."

Betsy lowered her head. "I und'rstand. I guess this is g'bye, then."

"Not exactly, little Betsy." The giantess responded. "For your continued silence in regards to what has happened to Woot, I will allow him to set out on his own once a week, wherein he is free to go where he wishes, but never anywhere outside of the Gillikin Country. If you should find yourself within any of the land's forests on, say, a Wednesday, perhaps he will find you, and you can spend however much time as you wish with him, so long as he realizes he must return by nightfall."

"I don't und'rstand why y' can't let him jus' do what he wants." Betsy countered. "Let him go wherev'r he wants."

"In a sense, he already has that." Mrs. Yoop answered. "He can go wherever he wishes within my castle."

"And it's a pretty big castle, Betsy." Woot added. He then loped right over to stand in front of the Oklahoma girl, gently holding her shoulders. "Please don't worry about me. I really do want this. In all my time wandering…going wherever I wanted…I never understood how much I was needed by my parents around the house. How much responsibility I ignored. Now that they're gone, I can't go back to that, which is why I chose to stay here, because I know Mrs. Yoop _needs_ me. She's the closest thing to a mother that I could have now. She may not see that now…but I think, in time, she will."

She could not help but make her next offer, speaking in a quiet tone…practically a murmur…that only Woot could hear. "Do y' want me t' stay, Woot? Stay with you here in th' castle? I mean…I lost my parents too. I won't care what she does t' me, eith'r."

But Woot shook his head. "_No. _Because _I_ don't want to see what she does with you. Come on, Betsy…you're the Queen of Diamonds. You're a _star_. You got Nick and Nimmie together. I don't want to see you give all that up just for me. Promise me you won't do that."

Betsy went quiet, lowering her head for a long moment as Mrs. Yoop silently looked down upon them.

"_Please_, Betsy." Woot quietly pleaded. "Promise me?"

The Oklahoma girl wiped a tear that had fallen from her right eye as she brought her head back up, and nodded her head. "Okay, Woot. If y' really think you'll be happy here, I…I'll make that promise."

"You must also never come to this castle ever again." Mrs. Yoop then remarked, a stern look in her eyes as Betsy and Woot angled their heads up to her. "Every time you or anyone else comes here increases the chance that others may come and cause trouble of some kind. Woot and I are quite happy with our shared company and we do not wish to see that disturbed. Remember…I am willing to permit him to leave the confines of the castle in the middle of each week to test his sense of responsibility, and you have the extra grace of not having me around. Should you ever come back here again, I will let you in, but you _will_ be transformed to assure that whoever comes looking for you will never find you here, or anywhere else in Oz, for that matter. Will you honor this promise?"

Betsy nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Yoop. I…I promise not t' come back here again."

Mrs. Yoop nodded in her satisfaction. "Should you be anywhere in the forests of this country on a Wednesday, do not be surprised if my green monkey manages to find you. For now, however, we must return to the castle's interiors." She rose to her feet, still looking down at the Oklahoma girl. "Farewell, Betsy Bobbin. Oh…and I can only tell you one thing about the erbs."

This got Betsy's full attention. "Yes?"

"Stay as far away from those monstrosities as possible." Mrs. Yoop advised. "Never trust them."

The giantess then turned, picking up the full wicker basket. Woot hugged Betsy tightly. "I'll see you again." Woot whispered. "That's _my _promise. _Even if you're outside of the country._"

Betsy kissed the green monkey on his furry forehead, and he then hurried over to re-join the yookoohoo. Leveling a finger unto the open doors, she spoke a single word. "Close."

As the doors slowly moved back inward, both Mrs. Yoop and Woot waved one last goodbye to the Oklahoma girl. Once the doors secured themselves, Betsy heaved out a sigh and began walking back through the Gillikin Country regions. Eventually, she came upon a taxi, and she instructed the driver to take her to Munchkinland as she boarded it.

During the ride, she began to smile thoughtfully once again, thinking about the promise Woot had made to her.

* * *

Oscar Diggs found the concept entirely hard to believe. "_Pills?_'

"Precisely, Mr. Diggs." Professor Wogglebug replied, standing next to the equally optimistic-looking Good Witch of the South. "Just as medication is a benefit to ailments in the lands outside of the nonestic isles, our proposal shall quite potentially be a profound benefit to the ever-important, and always noble, pursuit of knowledge, thereby defaulting allocation of the time necessary to engage in more…athletic pursuits."

"If it works, that is." Oscar warily noted.

"Oh, I would stake a most exquisitely-designed cravat upon it, Mr. Diggs!" the Wogglebug optimistically remarked. "When you consider that we have the gracious blessings, and the support, of the most potent of all sorceresses in the land behind us, that which we cannot accomplish is but a mere fraction of a dollop!"

"It is a simple matter of empowering each of the granules resident in a single capsule with the knowledge of a single subject, which is conveniently resident in the Great Book of Records, which magically records any and all knowledge of human progress and history inside…and outside…of the land of Oz." Glinda explained.

Oscar's eyes widened. "That must be a pretty big book, then!"

Glinda smiled amusedly. "The largest in existence, by my estimation."

The former Wizard of Oz now considered this as he began to pace around thoughtfully. "So with each and every granule in a single capsule enchanted…" He stopped for a moment, looking to Glinda. "…how much knowledge per granule, though?"

Glinda giggled at this. "Oh, I'm sure we can even it all out, apprentice."

"Indeed." The Wogglebug remarked. "The fount of the willworking, courtesy of our esteemed sorceress, provides all the extrusion and spheronization necessary for the proliferation of the granules in each capsule. As I recall from human history, I believe it was a Mr. James Murdock of London who devised the harmless housings necessary to carry these granules."

Oscar continued to share his thoughts aloud as he pondered the feasibility of this entirely radical concept. "And…this would be a full suite of learning? In each subject? One pill swallowed, and you're ready for a College diploma?"

"Oh, goodness, no." Glinda swiftly corrected. "I would estimate one pill per academic subject. Algebra, Grammar, the history of specific regions…each would be its own school pill, so to speak."

"Hmmm. School pill." The Professor noted. "I like the sound of that."

"Certainly gives new meaning to the term 'remedial learning'." Oscar mused.

"There is the matter, however, of the existing educational systems in the land, particularly that of the Munchkinland province." The Professor then observed. "But, I suppose we can attend that particular lesson plan once we have the school pills prepared for regular use."

"I fancy those institutions could be charged with a process of distribution…" Glinda surmised aloud. "…but, as you say, preparing the school pills should be our first order of business."

"And finding someone willing to put these pills to the test by actually swallowing one." Oscar added. "I hope you're ready for whatever side effects manifest, Glinda."

"If any." Glinda replied. "For the moment, I believe it would behoove my part of the work to have a foundation. As I recall reading in the Book of Records, you have a single capsule in your left waistcoat pocket? It will need to be emptied, seeing as how it would be quite impossible for you to catch a cold in the land of Oz."

"Hmm? Oh, right." Oscar indeed produced the cold capsule, removing it from the open packet. As he had once suffered from a touch of the flu during his time performing in Bailum &amp; Barney's traveling shows, he had been in need of them. He had to appreciate the fact that diseases were non-existent in Oz, however, as he carefully pulled the two halves of the capsule apart, and emptied its contents into an empty glass vial Glinda directed him to fill it with.

Closing the capsule back up at Glinda's request, he placed it back on the table in front of them. "Now, we just need a few _thousand _more just like it." Oscar observed. "You might as well magic them all up, eh, Glinda? Should be a trifle for one such as you."

Glinda arched an eyebrow. "Actually, apprentice…that will be _your _responsibility."

"Pardon?" Oscar blinked in disbelief. "_Mine?_'

Glinda nodded, smiling. "I do remember teaching you the secrets of replication, yes? This object is certainly small enough."

The old man looked entirely uncertain about this. His voice betrayed his nervousness. "But…what if it backfires? I could create _trillions_…maybe even _quintillions_…by accident!"

"So?" The Wogglebug shrugged. "We wade, quite harmlessly, through empty capsules for a while."

Glinda stepped behind Oscar as he stepped in front of the single capsule. She then gently grabbed his wrists and guided them to cover the empty granule container with both hands. "Just concentrate, apprentice." Glinda spoke slowly and gently. "Clear your mind of all outside thoughts. Think only on the empty capsule. Fix your eyes upon it. Extend your consciousness through your arms towards your hands, never permitting the mass to extend beyond what the space within your hands will allow. Belief, discipline, transmission, and release. You can do it."

With his hands already over the single empty capsule, Oscar closed his eyes.

Belief. He had been taught that this always had to come first. He had to _believe _this was possible. That he could fill his hands…and _only _the space within his hands…with as much of the single capsule as the space would allow. Therein was the Discipline, as well, and it was that which would hopefully prevent him from creating the trillions, if not quintillions, of empty capsules.

Transmission. Feeling his will surge through his arms, and then unto his hands, through the whisper of a pair of incantations only a mind with the potential for magic use had any chance of pronouncing correctly. This would never work without the foundations of belief, as Glinda had revealed unto him when his training began. In the absence of belief, magic was impossible. Such was the universally golden rule of magic use of any kind.

And then, Release. As Oscar was still an apprentice, the feel of magic generating from his hands produced a short bout of numbness in those hands. He would have no way of knowing if his magic worked. Beyond the moment of his release, he was at least relieved that they would not be swimming in empty capsules.

As feeling began to return to his hands, he pulled them away at the same time he opened his eyes.

Where there was once a single empty capsule, there was now a small mound of them!

"I _did it!_" Oscar exclaimed, his face aglow in his triumph. Glinda beamed as well, and the insectoid professor looked visibly impressed as well.

"Congratulations, Mr. Diggs!" The Wogglebug placed an insectoid hand on the old man's shoulder. "Do you fancy being able to produce a few thousand more mounds of these?"

Oscar's response was quite melodramatic as he spoke, his ego buoyed by this accomplishment. "Are you not in the presence of the _great and powerful Oz_, good sir?"

"Now, now, apprentice." Glinda quickly warned, wagging a finger in emphasis. "Self-discipline! You have done very well, but try not to let that accomplishment fill your mind with delusions of grandeur on the strength of a single success! Deeeeep breaths, now. Relaxation, and self-discipline. Thaaat's right."

Oscar breathed in steadily, and breathed out, just as he had been taught. Glinda smiled in her satisfaction.

She had to suppress a giggle fit, however, seeing the Wogglebug's visible reaction to what she heard her apprentice loudly intone next.

"OOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM…OOOOOOOMMMMMM…"

* * *

At the approximate stroke of six, and under a sky that was beginning to darken, Betsy Bobbin had finally made it to the front door of Dorothy Gale's munchkin house once more. By now, her stomach was making murmurs of complaint, so she was looking very much forward to whatever offerings Dorothy might have as she rapped on her door. She had seen the round-bodied munchkin idly walking around her kitchen area by way of her front window, so Betsy knew she was home.

When Dorothy opened the door with a curious expression on her face, that expression became a full-on smile that widened to a big grin once she pulled the door open further.

"Hi, Dor'thy." Betsy smiled back. "I am _really _hungry."

"Oh, I'll give you a tummy as big as _mine _by the time you leave here, sweetheart!" Dorothy then pulled the Oklahoma girl inside, leading her right to a table set for one, and setting her down in the seat in front of it. "I just re-stocked my stores, too! Had a _great _harvest collection when I got home from the luncheon. That rainstorm we had really did my crops a load of good! Fresh meatstalks of all kinds straight from the plants, from chicken strips to full beef layers, all of it freshly-peeled and ready for cooking!" Dorothy went right to the kitchen to light up the cooking burners, once again a whirlwind of eager culinary resolve. "Let's start with a double-layered whitebreast chicken wrap braised in quadling corn-sauce! Aaaaand while I have _that _cooking…" The eager munchkin rushed over to grab a pitcher of lacasa and a plate full of warm muffins and butter squares. She placed the muffins, which were shaped like whipped cream toppings, right in front of Betsy, and then filled the empty glass that was sitting near the dinner plate. "…ta-daaaaa! Winkie valley muffins. Soft, warm, and deee-licious! Even better when you have them buttered."

And Betsy did indeed enjoy the taste of the muffin once she had buttered up its warm center. She had consumed three of them before she heard Dorothy speak once again.

"That whitebreast should go _great _with a southern gillikin sweet potato or two…" Dorothy observed aloud as she dropped a pair of fresh potatoes, both of which had a faint purple color upon their skins, into a boiling pot of water she had placed on one of her burners. She briefly turned her head to Betsy. "…unless you prefer some old-fashioned corn-on-the-cob?"

Betsy giggled at this. "I'll have both. I'm hungry enough."

Dorothy nodded, and then went back to her culinary thinking. "I think a cooked veggie assortment is in order, too. Broccoli OK, Betsy?"

"Love it." Betsy confirmed.

"I always have to be careful with the eastern grain salt on those…can't be more than a pinch…there we go…" The Oklahoma girl then heard Dorothy humming another tune as she worked. The eager munchkin was humming out the melody she remembered all too well from the time when she and her friends first went into the Emerald City, and heard its residents merrily chime about how they worked the day away.

As she cooked, she could not help but add a lyrical touch to the melody…

_Heat the meeeats, braise the wrap with a touch of quad-ling saaauce!  
__That's how I cook for Bet-sy Bob-bin, tonight in Munch-kin-laaand!_

_Ev-ry bite, off the stick a soft and chew-y gloss!  
__It's just the thing to fill you up so big, you can bare-ly stand!_

_If you feel like seconds, don't you hes-i-taaaate!  
__Feed-ing guests is a love I won't de-baaate…feels so great!_

_Bake, bake, baaake, teach, teach, teach, and maybe some gos-sip too,  
__that's how I live this life of mine in merry old munch-kin-laaand!_

As Dorothy began serving the fresh plate of food to the Oklahoma girl, Betsy found herself caught up in the lyrical vibe…

_Could I come back for chicken an' dump-lings too?_

Dorothy giggled, nodding before making her own lyrical response…

_Then a tangy gillikin sorbet just for YOU!_

Betsy gasped!

_Beats beef stew!_

Both were now caught up in the moment, singing as one…

_Ha, ha, haaa, ho, ho, hooo and plenty of tra-la-laaas!  
__No mat-ter who or what we are, we love the land __of OOOOOZ!_

Once Dorothy's own meal…thick strips of wide meatstalk beef with lightly-buttered broccoli stalks and a full glass of lacasa…was prepared, she brought the plate, a napkin, and a full set of silverware over to the space across from Betsy. Going back to the kitchen area one more time to acquire the hot bowl of mixed vegetables she had prepared, she placed the full bowl between them before plopping her cutely round body onto her seat and digging into her beef strips. Betsy was already in the midst of devouring her chicken wrap, easily pulling the soft, delicious meats from the thin wooden stick it had been wrapped around.

"Mmmm…this is _delicious_, Dor'thy…" Betsy observed as she bit off another portion of the double-layered meat.

"Thanks! Soooo…" Dorothy placed her chin above the bridge of her knitted hands, her elbows on either side of her plate. "…how was your day, dear?"

Betsy gave her answer a bit of thought before responding, and this after she had swallowed her meat. "Kinda rough."

Dorothy tilted her head. "How so?"

"Well…rememb'r when I told you that I got sent t' that orph'nage aft'r my parents died?"

Dorothy nodded.

Betsy lowered her head. "Part of th' reason I didn't like it was 'cause I was always told where t' go, what t' do, what t' eat…I jus' couldn't be _myself,_ y' know?"

Dorothy nodded again. "Orphanages tend to be bad places. Just because the business sounds like a good thing doesn't mean the people who work there feel the same way."

"I _had _t' get outta there, Dor'thy." Betsy continued. She knew she had to be careful as to how she worded the related issue. "But…I met someone. A boy whose parents were kill'd by one o' those witches that died when you came t' Oz. He told me th' story 'bout Nick Chopper an' Nimmie Amee, th' girl he lov'd. We join'd Nick when he went out t' try an' find her."

"Did you?"

Betsy nodded. "Yes, but…well, durin' our trip, we met a woman who was lonely. Th' boy wanted t' stay with her, but…she had all these rules. He said he was okay with it all…"

"But…you were reminded of the orphanage." Dorothy guessed aloud. "You didn't want him to have to suffer the way you did. Well…there's an easy way we can find out if he's all right. Can you tell me the boy's name?"

Betsy feared Dorothy would ask this, but she felt she had to hold to her promise. "I'm sorry, Dor'thy. He made me promise not t' tell anyone that."

"But they won't know they're being watched." Dorothy reasoned. "Unless this woman he chose to stay with is a magician?"

Betsy nodded, fairly certain this confirmation would not betray too much of the facts she had been sworn to keep quiet about.

"Is there a chance you'll see him again?" Dorothy then asked.

Betsy nodded again.

"Then I'd say wait until you do before you worry about him any further." Dorothy advised. "From what you're telling me, it sounds like he's doing a good thing."

Betsy wanted to change the subject, however, upon the next swallow of her food. "So how did y' learn t' make all this great food, Dor'thy?"

Dorothy giggled. "Well…two years spent among munchkins can do that to you. After seeing my Aunt Em make food for us for so long, I guess I wanted to be able to do the same thing here. Ever since I became one of the munchkins, I've always had a need to _work. _I guess that's why we're such light sleepers. Five hours sleep to a munchkin is like eight to a human, or so the Scarecrow figured…and when we're not sleeping or working, we tend to make a lot of gossip. Well, a lot of the people I've talked to over the past two years told me a lot about the foods that were unique to the land of Oz. At first, I wasn't very interested, but after a while I got curious. Next thing I knew, I was asking around for more recipes. My first attempts at baking were _terrible_. A Cookie Cook named Cayke taught me a few things about cooking, though, and I just got better and better from there."

"Sounds like me an' my circus learnin'." Betsy noted. "Their acrobats were my teach'rs."

"I hope they were better people to learn from than the ones at the orphanage!" Dorothy leaned over and began cutting at a particularly stubborn piece of meat…and in so doing, the vial she had been wearing around her neck hung down, getting Betsy's attention.

Betsy remembered Scraps saying something about a potion Dorothy had been given, but she had to confirm this. "What's that 'round your neck?"

"Huh? Oh!" Dorothy dropped it beneath the top portion of her blue and white dress. "Just a little something a friend of mine gave me."

"Is it magic?" Betsy asked.

Dorothy wondered if it was wise to tell her. After a moment of thoughtful silence, she decided to come right out with the answer. "Yes. The water came from an enchanted lake in a forest protected by fairies. It's…kind of like a good luck charm."

Betsy nodded, knowing full well what the potion was _actually_ capable of doing. She remembered what Scraps had told her about the situation. About how the potion would make whoever drank it an older person. As much as she wanted to say more, she decided to keep eating instead. Betsy knew next to nothing about the situation between Dorothy and the Mayor of Munchkinland, and she figured it was not her business to ask about it.

"Were you given a place in Oz where you can stay, Betsy?" Dorothy then asked, slipping the small vial back beneath her blouse. "Temporary, or otherwise?"

The Oklahoma girl nodded. "I have a room at the tin palace in th' Winkie Country. It's a nice-enough room, but…well, there's an awful lot o' tin in that palace. It's…not as colorful. This house is nicer than my room."

"Have you told the Emperor this?" Dorothy inquired. "Maybe he can make alterations to your room, or find a room in the palace that's more to your liking."

"I guess. I don't wanna bring it up now, though." Betsy replied. "Not while he's spendin' time with Nimmie."

Dorothy smiled thoughtfully when he heard this. "I never thought to ask if there was anyone in Oz he loved…but then, we had more important matters to think about. Getting him a heart, getting the Scarecrow a brain, the Lion his courage, and me getting back home to Kansas."

A thought occurred to Betsy as she finished the first of the three sticks of food she had been served. "Did any of 'em look like anyone back in Kansas, Dor'thy?"

The question visibly surprised Dorothy. "Hmmm…why do you ask?"

"Well…" Betsy was hesitant to answer, but she did. "…when we left that veg'table land, I met someone who look'd jus' like my dad, 'cept he wasn't. His name is Johnny Dooit."

Dorothy nodded. "There were three farmhands I knew back in Kansas. Really nice group of friends, too. Zeke, who looked like the Cowardly Lion, Hickory, who had Nick Chopper's face, and Hunk Griffiths, whose face resembles the Scarecrow."

"Did y' like one more than the oth'rs?" Betsy then asked.

Dorothy thoughtfully nodded again. "Hunk. Don't get me wrong, though…I liked the others too, but...Hunk shared a lot of my concerns about the farm, and about my Aunt and Uncle. In a way, he even saved our lives."

"But he's still alive?" Betsy wondered aloud.

"Oh, yes. Last I saw, he was at an agricultural university." Dorothy replied. "He met a really nice-looking roommate there, too." A smile now crept onto the munchkin's face, at peace with her next admission. "I'm sure they'll be very happy together, if there's any potential."

"An' there's no way t' bring him to Oz?"

Dorothy shook her head. "You'd have to talk to Glinda to find out why. If I told you, you wouldn't understand. I have to leave Hunk to his own life, and I have no desire to be anywhere other than here in Oz."

Betsy nodded. "So I guess y' really like the Scarecrow."

The round-bodied munchkin smiled once again. "I missed him most of all when I got back home after my first visit. Seeing him again when I came back was one of the happiest moments of my life. At least, at the time."

"Oh?" Betsy looked curious at this last admission. "An' what is it now? Becomin' a munchkin?"

Dorothy looked away thoughtfully for a moment. "Being his patchwork girl." She heard herself quietly admit.

The munchkin ministress couldn't help but smile over these memories as Betsy gazed curiously upon her. After a moment, Dorothy noticed that Betsy still had her eyes on her, and she brought herself back to the present, cutting another piece of meat as she smiled to the Oklahoma girl. "That's all behind me, though. Not that I don't still think about it, from time to time…besides, he's the Royal Advisor to the Princess Ozma now, and I have my responsibilities as the Munchkinland Ministress of Educational Affairs. Which reminds me…were you in the middle of going to school when you came to Oz?"

Betsy's face suddenly went serious. "Dor'thy…please don't ask me that question."

Dorothy frowned. "Why not? I've already tutored one promising student successfully. I could do the same with you! I think you'd be a fast learner, too!"

"Dor'thy…"

"Oh, but Betsy! Having a good education is very important! I could pick up where you left off! I think you could learn a lot from…"

"_No, _Dor'thy!" Betsy firmly replied, an angry look on her face. She then shook her head nervously. "I…I'm not…goin' back t' that…nev'r again…" She then rose up, stepping away fearfully from the table. "…please don't put me in th' closet…"

Dorothy immediately rose from the table and hurried over to Betsy, her face a mask of wide-eyed concern as she wrapped her arms around Betsy, who was struggling to hold back tears as she dropped to her knees. She shook in Dorothy's arms as the munchkin hugged her. "Betsy, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bring up all those bad memories…mercy me, you really _did _have a terrible time at that orphanage, didn't you? Don't you worry about a thing, Betsy. I'm not going to force you into _anything_. I promise!" The munchkin ministress then pulled her head back, placing her hands gently at the sides of Betsy's as she spoke gently and consolingly. "I promise you, Betsy. Things will be better here. You'll never see the inside of an orphanage again. You ever need anything…anything at _all_…you just come and see me, okay? I don't care if you have to wake me up in the middle of the night or interrupt a tutoring session. I don't care if you're hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you don't want to learn anything from me, that's your decision, and I _will _respect it. Whether you finish your education or not is entirely up to you, Betsy. Don't you worry."

Betsy nodded with every reassurance Dorothy uttered. While her eyes did water, no tears trickled down, and she was smiling by the time the munchkin finished speaking. "I guess…I jus' wanna learn as I go, y' know? Let life teach me things. Isn't that OK?"

Dorothy nodded, smiling, her hands moving to Betsy's shoulders. "But if you ever need anything explained…"

"I'll jus' come right t' Auntie Dor'thy." Betsy hugged the munchkin girl once again, much more lovingly this time as she beamed. Dorothy smiled, particularly at the thought of being considered an 'auntie', and wrapped her own pudgy arms around Betsy. "B'sides…us folks from th' real world have t' stick t'geth'r, right?"

Dorothy giggled at this. "Like hamstalk bacon and Jinxland eggs."

Betsy rolled her eyes amusedly as she pulled away. "Oh, you're such a…a _foodie_, Dor'thy! Hamstalk bacon…Jinxland eggs...it's jus' bacon an' eggs t' me!"

Dorothy smirked, putting her hands on her waist. "Well, I can assure you that purple sorbet from the Gillikin Country is not the kind of deliciously tangy dessert you could ever find in Kansas, or Oklahoma, or _anywhere _other than Oz. Would you like to try some?"

Betsy rose to her feet, rubbing the moistness from her eyes, and held up a raised thumb. "You betcha!"

* * *

"Stay close, Jack!" The Scarecrow advised his charge. "Even in the evening, it's entirely possible to get lost in the Emerald City crowds!"

The straw-stuffed royal advisor had been tasked by the princess Ozma to take her 'son' on a guided tour of the city grounds. More than once, the Scarecrow had to pull Jack Pumpkinhead along so he could keep from lingering too long in a single spot that his tour guide had showed him. By now, Jack seemed to get the hint. Whenever the Scarecrow moved at a particular pace, Jack needed to follow.

They stopped before a place the Scarecrow certainly remembered from his grand adventure with a certain Kansas girl. "Here, we have the Wash &amp; Brush Up Company. The Emerald City's maid, Jellia Jamb, used to work here part-time during the rule of the Wizard of Oz. No matter who you are, or what you are, you'll always be able to come here and have your grooming needs tended to by a helpful and courteous staff."

"Grooming?" Jack looked confused. "Is the floor always dirty in there?"

The Scarecrow shrugged, smiling. "Well…in the case of people who need a haircut, or a manicure, or even a fur trimming, I would imagine the floors often get a little un-tidy, sure!"

Jack nodded. "They must have plenty of grooms in there, then, to sweep it all up with!"

The straw-stuffed former ruler of Oz had to giggle at this misconception. "Indeed, they do have plenty of _brooms_ to clean the floor with. Seems you've confused brooming with grooming, Jack!"

"But…isn't a broom used for cleaning?" Jack asked.

The Scarecrow nodded. "Mm-hmm!"

"Then, don't you think brooms cleaning a room is a form of grooming?" Jack rationalized. "They're grooming the room, aren't they?"

The Scarecrow found this manner of rationale appealing. In his own way, Jack had a pretty good…pumpkin…on his wooden shoulders. "That's a _very _astute way of putting it, Jack!"

"Well!" Jack placed his wooden hands on his hips. "I should 'as-_toot_' my way more often, then." He then resumed his pace behind the Scarecrow. "So you were telling me about the way the city used to be compared to the way it is now?"

"Ah, yes. Well…the city used to be a bit of a closed-in environment. It wasn't the mostly-outdoor mecca it is today." The straw-stuffed advisor explained as he led Jack through the pedestrian lanes. "If you ask the average citizen of the Emerald City, they would say that it was necessary. Back in those days, after all, two sisters…two wicked witches, one in the east, and one in the west…terrorized the people of the land. Our ruler at the time was the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, and whenever anyone was inside the city, they believed his great magical power…his very _presence_…would protect them."

Jack's pumpkin head tilted to the side curiously. "They felt safe just because he was there? Did he actually _fight _the witches?"

"Well…'fight' is not the right word." The Scarecrow admitted. "They were scared off, so to speak, by the wizard. He had materialized a great big emerald green head right in the skies when the witches and their armies attempted to lay siege to the city. His booming, commanding voice frightened the invaders so terribly, they turned tail and ran without realizing it was an illusion created by a talented circus performer. Even the witches themselves had to admit defeat."

"Did the Wizard fight the witches after they were scared off?" Jack asked.

The Scarecrow shook his head. "Because the Wizard didn't want to start a war. His sole concern was to protect anyone who came to the Emerald City for help. People from the Winkie Country and Munchkinland, however, still suffered because their lands had been conquered by the witches. The Wicked Witch of the West had captured and enslaved every able-bodied winkie man against their will with her magic, and cursed them with her own green-skinned appearance. Her sister was far worse. A remorseless killer far more powerful in magic compared to her sister, and a vicious tyrant. She killed many munchkins on a whim in those dark days, in most cases transforming any who dared go against her word into food, which she promptly ate. In others, they became horrible beasts that had munchkins cowering in their own homes. That's why Dorothy Gale was hailed a national hero when her house crushed that miserable old crone. They thought she was a good witch who used her magic powers to send the house down on her."

"What about her sister?" Jack inquired.

"Yup, she's gone, too." The Scarecrow confirmed. "That horrible woman tried to set me on fire. Dorothy grabbed a pail of water that was nearby, and she threw it on the fire to put it out. A lot of the water hit the witch, though, and much to our complete surprise, she melted away!"

Jack nodded in understanding. "And that's why they opened up the city?"

"More or less." The Scarecrow replied. "Two years ago, we had serious problems with a shoemaker who turned himself into a giant monster after he seized control of the city. His angry rampages caused a _lot _of damage all over the city. After he was finally defeated, and shrunk back down to his original size, we discovered what had happened to the _true _heir to the throne of Oz. When Ozma…your mother…became the ruler of the land, she coordinated with Glinda…the Good Witch of the South, and the most powerful sorceress in the entire land…to completely redesign the city. Gone were the high-domed ceilings, replaced by the beautiful skies of Oz. Many of the old buildings…such as the Wash &amp; Brush Up Company…received full makeovers. Any businesses that existed in the old version of the Emerald City are still thriving today in brand new buildings."

As the Scarecrow spoke of the disappearance of the city's high-domed ceilings, Jack's dark, triangular eyes went from his straw-stuffed tour guide to a stuffed patchwork quilt female that was behind him, mimicking and mocking his movements as he spoke. The Scarecrow was completely oblivious to the presence of this funny patchwork girl.

Once his eyes locked on this patchwork girl, they lingered upon her curiously.

"And unlike the smart-aleck patchwork girl behind me, the people who work in those new buildings revel in their jobs." The Scarecrow then added. He then turned around to face Scraps, who flashed a sheepish grin with the two rows of silvery pearls that served as her teeth. The gloves that were his stuffed hands went to his hips as he smirked.

Scraps just shrugged. "I'm on a break!"

"After how many hours of actual _work?_" The Scarecrow wondered aloud.

Scraps thought on this for a moment before replying. "An hour aaaaand…five minutes longer than my last chore."

The Scarecrow added an arched eyebrow to his smirk. "Not bad. Used to be you wouldn't work any longer than 30 minutes before you took one of your 'breaks'."

"Anything to impress _you, _honey-bunch." Scraps cooed affectionately. Her button eyes then regarded Jack. "Who's your scrawny friend?"

The Scarecrow gestured to his pumpkin-headed friend. "Scraps, this is…"

But Jack suddenly stepped in towards Scraps as he interjected. "Good evening, my dear. I am Jack Pumpkinhead." He then courteously bowed low, affecting full gentlemanly poise. "How are _you _on this fine evening…Scraps, is it?"

Scraps shrugged again. "I dunno! How am I?"

"Colorfully vibrant, if I do say so myself." was Jack's immediate reply. "And entertainingly amusing." He then added.

The Scarecrow could not help but find Jack's unexpected interest in Scraps amusing. "If you ask me, she could do with a bit of dignity."

"Phooey on dignity!" Scraps huffed, her own cotton-stuffed hands going to her colorfully-quilted waist. "I am who I am!"

The Scarecrow quietly wondered how Jack would respond to that admission, seeing as how Ozma had apparently gifted her son with his own measure of demonstrated dignity.

"I do hope I can see more of who you are, good lady." was Jack's response, much to the Scarecrow's astonishment. The pumpkin-headed man then offered the patchwork girl an arm. "At the moment, we are in the middle of a guided tour. Join us, perchance?"

"Well, actually, Jack…she has a lot of work to get back t…"

"Sounds good to _me,_ toothpicks!" Scraps quickly interjected. Instead of accepting Jack's arm, however, she leaped onto the Scarecrow's shoulders in piggy-back fashion, which very nearly made him lose his balance. "Where are ya taking us next, honey-bunch?"

"Perhaps you can show us those marvelous tin statues?" Jack asked. "One of them bears a striking resemblance to you, in fact."

"That one's my _favorite._" She affectionately cooed.

"Er…yes, well…I suppose I could go over each of them, sure." The Scarecrow began heading towards the nearest one, which sat by a large and beautiful fountain that had been built near the eastern side of the city's royal palace.

The statue was a _very _well-detailed rendering of the Scarecrow himself. His right hand was on his hip, and his left was pointing to his head. He had a warm smile upon his tin-wrought face, and his legs were spread apart.

Something else caught Jack's eye, too. Upon the fountain was a sign.

**All persons are  
****~FORBIDDEN~  
****to drink at this  
****Fountain**

"Well!" The Scarecrow began. "_Something _about this guy seems awfully familiar!"

"Indeed!" Jack returned his eyes to the Scarecrow. "Most impressive workmanship."

"Except it's not honey-bunch." Scraps mused. "It's his evil twin brother."

Jack looked startled at this. "Dear me! You never told me you had a twin brother!"

The straw-stuffed advisor smirked, though. "Only in the mind of this silly patchwork girl, Jack. I have no brothers."

"Ah-_hah!_ Then it's your evil twin _sister_ disguising herself as your evil twin brother!" Scraps countered.

The Scarecrow sighed. "Scraps…"

"Oh, dear me!" Jack reacted with surprise once again. "How _cunning _of him! I mean, her!"

"I don't have a twin sister either, Jack." He then looked up to Scraps. "Although I hear _you_ once had a twin sister."

Scraps smirked. "No comment."

The straw-stuffed advisor smiled as he looked back over to Jack. "Let's move on to the next statue."

"In my pants." Scraps playfully added.

"Wait a minute." Jack then moved towards the fountain. "You never told me about _this _particular landmark, nor did you explain this sign."

"Ahhh, you found the Forbidden Fountain." The Scarecrow moved towards it.

"In my pants." Scraps again added.

The Scarecrow gestured to the fountain as he spoke to Jack, ignoring the patchwork girl still riding on his shoulders. "A long time ago, the land of Oz was ruled by the leader of a group of unscrupulous noblemen who were trying to manipulate the land's affairs, publicly making it look like any and all decisions were made by the people of Oz rather than from their own group, which was called the Court of Ozian Nobles. Things got so bad that they went to Glinda for help. The result was this fountain, which was presented as a gift to the nobles."

Scraps began to open her mouth, perhaps to repeat the obnoxious words once again, but the Scarecrow had angled his head to her, putting a stuffed finger to her mouth to silence the patchwork girl, whose shoulders drooped in response.

"Her behavior was such that people feared Glinda was in alliance with them." The Scarecrow added. "They thought they would _never _see an end to the oppression."

"But why can't anyone drink from it _now?_" Jack asked. "Did the nobles poison it?"

"No, but the waters _are _enchanted." The Scarecrow replied. "The water you see cascading about here is the water of oblivion. Anyone who drinks from this fountain loses any and all memory of who and even what they are. Their minds are wiped clean of all knowledge."

"How horrid!" Jack observed.

"I guess the nobles didn't know that when they drank from it." Scraps guessed. "Pretty sneaky."

"Glinda publicly promised the nobles that the water would give them the absolute power they constantly craved." The Scarecrow explained. "Glinda sent a mental warning to everyone else never to drink from it."

Jack now looked confused. "Mental?"

"She spoke to their minds." Scraps clarified.

"Seeing as how they were all certain that Glinda could be trusted to serve as an ally, they filled goblets with water from the fountain and proposed a toast to themselves." The Scarecrow continued. "After they drank it? Their behavior was no different from infant children. They completely forgot themselves."

"What happened to the nobles?" Scraps asked.

"Oh, they're still around." The straw-stuffed advisor assured. "All except one. The leader himself. Oztantinople, contrary to the man he used to be, became a dedicated crusader when the wicked witch-sisters took control of the eastern and western countries. Most of the rebel groups followed his lead, in fact. Morale took a devastating blow, however, when the Wicked Witch of the West turned him into a wheel of swiss cheese. That foul witch publicly gloated of how eating that cheese made her feel more powerful."

"How _vile._" Jack observed. "How heartless!"

"And the others? Are they…farmers? Craftsmen?" Scraps inquired.

"More or less." The Scarecrow replied. "Although everyone knew what they looked like, they were good enough to accept that they would never need to worry about any further treachery from the Court ever again. Not with the kinds of lives they settled into. From what I remember, one of them became a Carpenter. Two of them became farmers. I don't recall what the others became. You'd have to ask Glinda about them."

"Ehh." Scraps waved a stuffed hand dismissively. "Leave 'em to their obscurity, I say."

"Agreed." Jack added.

"In the wake of the Court's dissolution, that sign was placed upon the Forbidden Fountain," The Scarecrow gestured to the sign. "and it's been there ever since."

"Hmmm…" Scraps looked curiously to the straw-stuffed advisor. "…would that stuff have any effect on people like you, me, or Jack? Does it only affect meat people?"

The Scarecrow went wide-eyed at this. "You wouldn't want me to risk _erasing _my excellent brains trying to find out, would you, Scraps?"

"_I _certainly would not want to find out." Jack fearfully noted. Scraps similarly shook her head.

But the Scarecrow then turned to face the Fountain, and took slow steps towards it. "I dunno…my straw has been feeling a little _dry _lately…"

"Uh, honey-bunch…" Scraps sounded worried now. "…seriously. You don't need to…NO!"

The splash generated a loud cry of shock from just about everyone around the Fountain as the Scarecrow dove right in! He completely submerged himself within the enchanted waters before Jack and Scraps could stop him, and they now wore horrified expressions as the now soggy advisor rolled back out of the fountain and rose to his feet.

_Everyone _in the area of the fountain stared at him with the greatest concern, and Scraps had a particularly fearful expression.

Her voice shook as she spoke. "Honey-bunch?"

Since stepping out of the fountain, he just stood in place, his head slowly circling upon his neck with wide, seemingly empty eyes on his face.

He then looked to Scraps. "Hi! Who are _you?_" His empty gaze then turned to Jack, gesturing to his pumpkin head. His tone remained somewhat infantile. "Wow! What a big thing _you _have! What kind of a thing is that? And…who am _I?_"

Scraps dropped to her stuffed knees in utter shock. "WHY DID YOU _DO_ THAT?"

Jack was just plain speechless, as was everyone else in the area…

…but then, the Scarecrow's empty expression then looked down to Scraps, a smirk forming on his lips, his casual posture returning. "Because you _deserved _to be given a scare, Scraps. After all your misbehavior!"

The Scarecrow, of course, knew beforehand that the waters would not affect him. Scraps had it right, though. Only meat people could be affected by the waters of the Forbidden Fountain. To individuals such as the Scarecrow and Nick Chopper, however, the water was entirely harmless.

Scraps predictably placed her stuffed hands upon her waist as she pouted to the Scarecrow. "You _meanie._ You _knew _the water wouldn't have any effect on you!"

The soggy advisor then gave Jack a mischievous look as he approached Scraps. "You think it might have any effect on patchwork girls?"

Jack, however, stepped in front of Scraps defensively, holding a wooden arm up to stop the advisor's advance. "Oh, no you don't! You will need to deal with _me _before you put Scraps through anymore grief, sir!"

Ozma had to smirk as she observed the trio through the Magic Picture, having heard the horrified outburst outside within her boudoir. Passing the glowing head of her golden wand over the Picture, her eyes on the Scarecrow…

…the Scarecrow's soggy body suddenly dried out as every drop of the water of oblivion on his stuffed body dissolved completely, as if he had never gone in.

He then smiled to Jack, gesturing to the nearby palace building in emphasis. "I guess your mother's keeping an eye on us up there."

Jack curiously looked around. "Mother has an eye on us? How _disgusting!_ Get it off of us and throw it back! Why would mother give us one of her eyes?"

Scraps smirked to the Scarecrow. "Let's move on to the next statue, smarty-pants."

The northern statue was revealed to be a beautiful, tin-wrought representation of Dorothy Gale, with Toto peeking his head outside of the basket that was on her arm. She was presented, of course, in her human appearance, and her pose reflected her initial sense of wonder as she took her first steps into Munchkinland. The Scarecrow provided a brief explanation of the escapades that warranted her being hailed a heroine of the land to Jack.

Scraps, however, made a curious observation here. "If Dorothy was hailed a national heroine by the munchkins, though, why isn't she posted where _you're_ at, honey-bunch? I would think the munchkins would want _her _to represent them."

The Scarecrow shrugged at this. "Well, I _was _created by a munchkin farmer, Scraps."

"Ah, yeah, that's right." Scraps nodded. "I still think if Bolger were younger, his face would look just like yours."

The straw-stuffed advisor then guided his two friends to the western statue, which was a tin-wrought representation of Nick Chopper, the Emperor of the winkies. His pose had the heartfelt tin man holding his axe up defensively.

As the Scarecrow took his group to see the representation of the Cowardly Lion at his southern spot, two other faces in the crowd lingered on Nick's tin representation.

And one of those faces was, himself, a tin man, and a former munchkin. The other, holding his tin-plated hand at a lower elevation, was a blond munchkin woman.

The woman sighed. "You've been staring at that statue for nearly an hour, Fyter."

"Can I help it if I am thinking about a good friend?" Fyter replied. "A kindred spirit?"

Summa Cumlaude stamped a foot in her irritation. "But I wanna go someplace _nice! _It's bad enough I can't take you anyplace to _eat_, being the way you are!"

"Don't you feel safe being able to eat as I stand guard over you?" Fyter reasoned. "Do you not see how _noble _it is for me to see to your protection?"

Summa sighed out in apparent annoyance. "Seems kind of _pointless_ when I'm not in any danger to begin with, Captain. Who'd want to go after _me? _I'm just a Vice Headmistress of the Learning Guild."

Fyter shrugged. "Perhaps…someone who does not appreciate what your educational system provides? Have _you, _perchance, served as an active tutor?"

Summa shrugged, grinning sweetly. "Of course!"

Fyter, however, did not find Summa's tone very believable. "What was…his name? Her name?"

"Umm…" Summa rubbed at her chin, apparently desperate to think of the name, which then came to her. "…oh yeah! It was, uh….Alewishious!"

Fyter quirked an eyebrow. "That's an awfully unusual name. Even for a munchkin."

"Well…it was such a long time ago." She shrugged sheepishly, grinning in as disarming a manner as she could. "I barely remember the little guy's face!"

Fyter frowned, placing his hands on his waist as he stared accusingly down at the blond munchkin. "Summa…"

The accusing glare from the tin soldier was considerably imposing as Summa stared upon it, and she swallowed audibly over the mounting intimidation factor.

After a few minutes of lingering silence, it was more than she could bear!

"OKAY, okay! I didn't tutor _anyone!_" Summa hung her head in shame, her shoulders drooping. "My sister Magna did, but…well, I got _jealous _of her! I found out the Headmistress used a pair of magic glasses to get her job. I threatened to spread the word all over Munchkinland unless I was given the best possible job, so she made me one of the Vice Headmistresses alongside my sister."

Fyter took a moment to let this sink in, and he then shook his head. "Shameful."

Summa looked up, frowning. "Oh, come on. I don't expect you to understand. You're not a…"

"Munchkin?" Fyter quickly interjected. "Summa…I _was _a munchkin."

Summa's face went beet red. "Oh…yeah, I…forgot…"

"You know what you need to do to remedy this shame, don't you?" Fyter then asked, still giving her the intimidating stare.

Summa lowered her head again. "What?" She mumbled.

Fyter lowered to his knees, squeaking an arm over to raise Summa's head. "Tutor a munchkin child. Start to finish. No matter how many years it takes."

Summa's response was predictably hesitant. "But…but…"

"_After _you've confessed to the Headmistress." Fyter then added. "Tell her exactly what you told me."

"_What?_" Summa squealed, entirely aghast. "But…she might _expel _me! She won't even _let _me tutor a child!"

"If you don't, _I _will be spreading the word around about what you did to get that job." Fyter warned. "I might also speak of your dalliance with Pugg to the guildmaster of the Lollipops."

Summa was pouting now as she mumbled, bringing her head back down to avoid looking at that intimidating tin face. "I've been working with them for _years. _Tutoring is…it's such _hard_ work…and some of those children are tough to teach."

"I think if you're willing to confess, it would take a considerable weight off your shoulders, Summa." Fyter noted, placing a tin hand gently upon her shoulder. "The Headmistress would see that you're trying to make amends, and I think your situation won't be as bad as you might think it will be. It would be far worse if you never confessed at all, don't you think? Your sense of guilt would only grow. And grow."

Summa feared to look upon Fyter's face again. She didn't want to see that scowl again…

…but when she did glance up, she saw a completely different expression on the face of the tin soldier. It was much softer. More sympathetic.

"Perhaps…I could arrange a private meeting between you and the Headmistress, so no one would know?" Fyter then offered.

Summa blinked. "You would do that?"

"I would make the effort." Fyter confirmed. "_If _you were willing to confess."

With one last heavy sigh, and a somewhat miserable look on her face, she finally nodded.

"Okaaaay." She mumbled. "I'll do it."

Fyter nodded. "I'll be with you the entire time…and afterwards? Summa, I really _will _take you someplace nice. I give you my word of honor as a soldier."

Summa nodded slowly, although she was still fearful of the consequences. They boarded the next taxi bound for Munchkinland and began their journey to the headquarters of the Learning Guild.

As they made their way towards the taxi, they passed the statue of Dorothy Gale, where a round-bodied munchkin with spiral sideburns and a knobby nose stared thoughtfully up to the tin semblance of the human she used to be.

She figured that the winkie artist who worked on the statues, which were the crowning touch on the unveiling of the brand new overall design of the Emerald City in the wake of Ugu's rule, had worked with illusionary semblances of his four subjects, perhaps through Glinda's magic, if not Locasta's. It was the only way he could have established such exquisite detail on each of them.

Dorothy had seen the Scarecrow during his tour with the pumpkin-headed man and Scraps when they came by her statue, but she made a conscious decision to remain unseen. Seeing Scraps and the Scarecrow together brought back too many memories of her own time as a patchwork girl. Scraps also seemed to be visibly discomforted whenever Dorothy was around the Scarecrow in front of her. As much as Scraps had a habit for being difficult, particularly on mornings when the Scarecrow visited, Dorothy liked Scraps. Even if the patchwork girl did seem to be a little jealous whenever Dorothy was around.

"Incredible work, isn't it?"

Dorothy's eyes widened, instantly recognizing the old female voice. It was one she had lived with all her life. Even before the tornado had completely changed the Kansas girl's life. Ever since Dorothy was left with her in the wake of the death of the infant girl's mother.

Dorothy smiled as she looked up at her Aunt Em, who was dressed in another very nice and colorful dress the munchkins had made for her. "It sure is."

Em smiled back, and gestured to one of the nearby benches, which they both settled into. The bench conveniently faced the statue as they stared thoughtfully at it. As much as Dorothy wondered what her Aunt Em was thinking, Em likewise wondered what the munchkin girl Dorothy had become was thinking.

It was Dorothy, however, who broke the ice. "You always wear those dresses so well, Aunt Em."

Emily had to giggle. "I'll nev'r forget what your Uncle Henry said two years ago when we first came here, aft'r all those lil' munchkins kept dotin' on us. We'd become 'victims o' high-toned royalty'. Took us a lot o' time tryin' to adjust to all this, as y' know…" She looked to Dorothy. "…an' it was ev'n _more _challengin' t' see you goin' around lookin' like one o' those munchkins. If it wasn't for what Ozma said 'bout you needin' t' finish your education, I would not have been very agreeable."

Dorothy nodded. "I'm really sorry about…"

"Oh, no. No, no, no. Don't you apologize t' me, Dor'thy Gale." Emily interjected, quickly raising an index finger to her in emphasis. She then placed a hand upon the munchkin's shoulder gently. "You've been with these people long'r than we have, and you were good enough to acquaint us both with them. They've helped us t' try to make sense o' what things are like here. 'Specially that Scarecrow friend o' yours. If anyone needs to apologize for bein' skeptical, it's us."

"What if I told you…that I needed to stay this way a little longer?" Dorothy then asked. "What if I wanted to live as a munchkin for the rest of my life?"

Emily's eyes predictably went wide, and her eyebrows arched up. "That'd be an awful long time, if I und'rstand Ozma right. Didn't she say no one can age a day while they're in Oz?"

Dorothy smiled, seeing the mirth in Emily's face as she spoke. "If you wanted me to go back to being who I was, I'd completely understand. I could do that right now, if you wanted, Aunt Em. Ozma's a fairy. She doesn't sleep."

Emily turned more to the round-bodied munchkin Ministress, holding both her pudgy hands. "Be completely honest with me, dear." She fixed her eyes on Dorothy's. "Are you _happy_ this way? Does bein' like this worry you at all? D' you…_dream _o' bein' normal again?"

Dorothy's answers were honest ones, sighing thoughtfully before speaking. "Yes, I'm happy. I _was _worried in my first couple of months as a munchkin, but…everyone helped me to adjust. I really do feel like I'm one of them now. I'll admit I'm not much of a gossiper, but…I've become a pretty good cook. There was one time I dreamt that I was normal again, but…well, that dream was more of a nightmare. It didn't have anything to do with wanting to be human again, though."

Emily nodded, smiling as Dorothy spoke. "I'll agree with your bein' a good cook, for sure. Bein' able t' _grow _meats as plants is awfully convenient! You sure sold Henry on those turkeystalk meats last Thanksgivin'!" They both shared a pleasant laugh on this memory before Dorothy's guardian continued. "Honestly, though…what I'm tryin' t' say is that no matt'r _what _you wanna do with your life, it's _your life, _and if you're completely happy with it? You'll _always _have our support. One hundred percent, Dor'thy Gale. Yes, I will say that it was hard for us when we heard you had been changed, but we were told why, an' when we first saw you lookin' th' way you do now? It felt like they had made you that happy lil' girl again. Not quite old enough for school. Th' one that always ran around th' farm, playin' with Toto while ev'ryone was workin'. If I had felt then th' way I felt now, I'd have picked you up an' watched you giggle in my hands as I held you up, jus' like I used t' do back in Kansas."

Dorothy smiled. "Do you miss Kansas, Aunt Em?"

After a moment of thought, Emily shrugged. "We miss Bill Hugson, sure. We miss those farmhands, we miss seein' lett'rs from our friends in Australia…" Emily looked thoughtfully around the Emerald City grounds as she spoke. "…sometimes, I wond'r what _they _would think of Oz. Bill would prob'ly get all frumpy about it. 'Specially 'bout th' magic stuff."

Dorothy nodded in agreement. "Oz would probably drive him crazy. You probably thought _I _was crazy when I was talking about being someplace else when you found me in bed after the tornado."

Emily shrugged, but the smile was still there. "I'll admit I thought you were havin' a bit of a fev'r dream…but…" She extended her arms to the sides in emphasis of her point. "…look where we are now, Dor'thy. Besides…if we really did have you sent away somewhere, we'd be no diff'rent from Almira Gulch, an' if there's one person I would _nev'r _want t' be compared to, it's her."

"There was someone here in Oz who was just as bad." Dorothy noted, obviously thinking of Almira's far more dangerous, green-skinned doppleganger. "She's gone, though. They called her…the Wicked Witch of the West."

"And what a horrible person she was." Another new and familiar munchkin voice spoke, to Emily's right. "Until _you _came along, Dorothy."

"Oh! Mr. Mayor! Good t' see you again!" Emily's expression brightened upon seeing Boq, while Dorothy smiled pleasantly to the always-dapper Munchkinland Mayor. Emily turned to Dorothy while gesturing to him. "Boq played a _very _big part in helpin' Henry an' I get adjusted. Such good manners, too!"

"I endeavor to provide assistance however I can, Emily dear." Boq gave a humble and courteous bow, with a similarly pleasant smile on his face. "Particularly to the guardians of a national heroine!" He gestured to Dorothy in emphasis.

Emily smiled as she looked back on Dorothy. "She's told us th' story many a time. We've even heard her tell th' story t' kids!"

"Have you tasted her cooking?" Boq asked. "Her culinary skills have become most impressive!"

"Oh, yes." Emily giggled, almost in the manner of a coquette. "And I imagine you're all still puttin' Henry's knowledge t' good use?"

"Oh, my dear! Ever since your husband has shared his knowledge with us, crops across many of our farms have grown, and continue to grow, in healthy abundance!" Boq replied.

Emily turned to Dorothy again. "Seems like ev'ry oth'r day, we get some farmer visitin', wantin' a lil' more advice."

"Contrary to your husband's thinking, however, I hardly believe any of you to be victims, Emily." Boq then observed. "But as far as the people of Munchkinland are concerned, you _are _high-toned royalty."

"Ohh, stop that." Emily giggled again.

The round-bodied munchkin tutor, however, couldn't help but wonder if Boq's apparent doting on her Aunt and Uncle had anything to do with his interest in Dorothy. She had seen the Mayor be just as courteous and as kind with other munchkins, though, so it wasn't entirely obvious that Boq was giving the Gales any preferential treatment…and even if he was, there was a logic there.

Dorothy was, after all, a national hero to his people. Regardless of the actual circumstances.

"Seeing as it is getting late, however, I might offer the services of my personal taxi to take you both to your homes, should you wish it." Boq then offered, stepping in front of them both.

"Well…the streets are gettin' a bit sparse, so…why not?" Emily rose from her seat, as did Dorothy. "You're parked out by that east gate, yes?"

Boq nodded. "If you require a moment alone, I shall wait most patiently for you both." With another courteous bow, the Mayor of Munchkinland turned and made his way back to the taxi, leaving Dorothy and her Aunt Em alone once more.

Dorothy smiled to her Aunt. "Good ol' Boq."

"Oh, Dor'thy…" Emily bent to a knee, smiling pleasantly. "…if only you were a lil' older. What a fine husband he'd make for you!"

Dorothy blinked in surprise at this. Particularly under her current circumstances! So much for her concerns about her Aunt Em's blessings, she thought to herself.

"Aunt Em…" She gently placed her hands on her Aunt's shoulders, and spoke softly. "…what if it were possible for me to grow older? If I were at an age where I _could _marry Boq?"

Now it was Emily's turn to look surprised. She was quiet for a moment, forced into a more thoughtful mode.

She then placed her own hands on Dorothy's shoulders. "Rememb'r what I said b'fore 'bout you bein' happy?"

Dorothy nodded. "I think, after all the time I've spent with him, that it's certainly possible for me to be happy with him."

Emily arched an eyebrow. "Y' don't sound very sure."

"Well…maybe after I've spent a little more time with him." Dorothy thoughtfully remarked. "You know, alone. Just talking with him about things."

Emily nodded. She then rose to her feet. "Then why don't y' do that now? You go on, Dor'thy. If you're gonna grow up, y' gotta start learnin' t' handle things like this on your own. Jus' rememb'r what I said 'bout you bein' happy, though. It's _your life, _Dor'thy Gale, an' I'll trouble any man, beast or thing who thinks they can get in th' way o' your happiness. Don't worry 'bout me gettin' home. I'll be fine. I'll jus'…grab a taxi in a few minutes."

Dorothy smiled, and then wrapped her arms around her beloved guardian. "Thank you, Aunt Em. You have no idea how much I love you."

Emily squeezed Dorothy just as affectionately. "I love you too, sweetheart. Always."

Dorothy hurried over to the east gate, turning her head towards her Aunt Em in the distance one last time, only to see her gesturing for Dorothy to proceed further. Once she stepped beyond the gate, Boq turned to face her.

He frowned in confusion, seeing that Dorothy was alone. "You seem to have forgotten your Aunt."

"She insisted on taking a separate taxi." Dorothy replied, stepping up close to him. "Besides I…did want to talk to you about, well, certain things I may not have asked you about before."

Once Boq nodded in confirmation, he courteously opened the door to his taxi, and gestured for his guest to step inside, which she did. As the Mayor settled himself next to Dorothy, the green horse began to pull the taxi along the yellow brick road.

Boq then manipulated small doors within the space of the closed cab latched to the sides of an oval opening through which the Mayor could communicate with the driver. Shutting these small doors, Boq turned to his guest.

"The driver will not hear us, my dear." Boq assured. "You wished to speak?"

Dorothy nodded, turning to Boq, taking a moment to figure out how she was going to begin. "Your honor…"

Boq raised a hand, however. "Please. I must insist that you call me 'Boq'."

Dorothy nodded again. "Very well. Boq…would it be okay if I asked about how things were between you and Jinjur?"

His eyes lowered for a moment, and his face went serious as he himself pondered the words to use in his reply.

"If it's far too personal…"

"No, no…I don't mind speaking of this. After all…there was an abundance of good memories in that association." Boq admitted. "As you might expect, things were bad in those times. Very bad indeed. The details would be quite ghastly to recollect as to the kinds of things the Wicked Witch of the East was capable of. In fact, the very first thing she did was to make an example of our previous Mayor. The horrible monstrosity he became! Twenty of us were mercilessly slaughtered before the witch destroyed it, and all just to send us a message. Never have him replaced, she said. She would sooner see a beast ten times more horrible ravage the whole of Munchkinland before she would allow another of us to succeed poor Mortimer as Mayor."

"And yet, you did." Dorothy noted. "Even after she made such a threat."

"It was actually at Jinjur's urging, to be honest." Boq recollected. "She taught us that a most terrifying show of force can influence whole bodies of innocent people. Cow them into submission. I'm afraid I was among those who were more evidently affected by what happened to Mortimer. I was…quite stern in my refusal. It was only after a time, and the occurrence of other incidents, that I began to see the merit in Jinjur's wisdom. She…urged me to end arguments and disputes rooted in our ongoing despair. I certainly knew that if such a propensity were to get any worse, we might as well just surrender our hearts and minds to that horrible woman outright." He stopped a moment to sigh fearfully. "The things I had seen, Dorothy…the things I had _heard. _I've lost many a night's sleep over the sounds, even to this very day. All those screams. All that…_suffering!_"

"Shhhh." Dorothy could see that his eyes were beginning to water. He quickly grabbed one of Boq's hands with her own and lingered a kiss on the back of it sympathetically. "Those times are over now. Try to think of those _good _memories for me, Boq."

Dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief he produced from his coat, he nodded. "Anyway…well, even with all that going on, no one else was making any real effort to bolster our spirits, so…I did what I could. Being something of a socialite myself, I knew almost everyone. I used what I knew of them to say things which I had hoped would keep them from their despair. It…wasn't until after we had taken a vote to choose a 'secret Mayor', so to speak, that I realized how many of them I really _had _kept from their despair. It was a landslide victory for me. The names of just about each and every person in Munchkinland were given consideration…and when the name was finally read, it was mine."

Dorothy smiled. "They made a _wonderful _choice."

A small smile was now on Boq's face. "Even Jinjur admitted afterwards that she voted for me, and she had urged others who were unsure to write my name. Of all the munchkins I had ever met, her flame of defiance against injustice raged hotter and brighter than any given star in the sky. I fancy a lot of that rubbed off on me, too. She had such mature thoughts for one so young, and an equally mature face. Such was my elation over the deaths of the witches that I lost all comprehension of discretion. I went before her once again, and privately proposed marriage. That, alas, was the plateau of our association, I'm afraid. That was when I learned that she was too young for a man like me, and she had no desire to grow any older. She assured me that she would not spread word of my mistake, but…she never wanted to see me again." He lowered his head regretfully. "At least, not in confidence."

Dorothy looked to Boq sympathetically, maintaining a grip on the Mayor's hand. "I'm so sorry, Boq."

Boq nodded. "Thank you, my dear…I haven't really given any thought to a reunion with her. It was…well…more for _her _sake that I kept quiet about it, seeing as how she was becoming a potent figure in the Munchkinland armies, and I had no desire to sabotage that. In fact, I secretly asked the members of the Lullaby League…which Jinjur's parents wanted her to join…if they could take her out of consideration as a new member so she could be free to concentrate on what _she _wanted to do with her life. I knew she would be miserable if she had let her parents bully her into the league."

Dorothy nodded. "Smart move, if you ask me. One worth remembering."

"All of our conversations in the wake of the night I proposed marriage have been either brief, or down to business." Boq remarked. "We never spoke of the past again."

A thought occurred to Dorothy, feeling the small vial against her chest. "Boq…do you think things would have been different if she _were _old enough to marry you?"

Boq slowly turned his head to his munchkin guest. "My dear Dorothy…there is as much a considerable gap in age between Jinjur and I as there is between _you _and I. While it is certainly possible for one to become older if they consciously wished to, Jinjur could not fill that age gap over the course of one night, and I have no desire to make such an appeal to the princess Ozma. Jinjur seems entirely convinced that our association is entirely finished, and I must accept this."

"Even if there _was _a way?" Dorothy offered. "I mean, to fill the gap?"

Boq then gently placed a hand upon Dorothy's cheek, looking deeply into her eyes. "As you, eventually, may wish to do for me?"

Dorothy's eyes widened, not expecting this particular awareness.

"Boq, I…I'm sure you're aware I'm not a witch at all." Dorothy cautiously remarked. "I'm not familiar with any kind of magic, nor have I expressed any desire to become any kind of spellcaster."

"Yet, you have the means on your person, do you not?" Boq then gestured to the area where the vial was hidden. "That which you were given by Ozma herself."

The round-bodied munchkin tutor was visibly confounded. "How did you know that?"

"I was told by someone who was, well, concerned about me." Boq replied. "I don't know how this person came upon that information, but…I must confess, Dorothy dear. I was entirely _flattered _by the gesture. Naturally, my first instinct, when she first told me, was to head over to you straight away and speak to you of it. My experience with Jinjur, however, has made me a bit more…cautious. Rather than surrender to an immediate response, I…boldly deferred to patience. I will wait for you as long as you wish, my beloved munchkin, should your feelings for me linger long enough for you to make a decision. I hope, at that time, you will understand if I should choose to immediately lower to a knee, and propose that you spend the rest of your life with me. I will do everything in my power to see to it that you will not regret such a decision, Dorothy Gale."

A long moment of silence followed as Dorothy lowered her gaze thoughtfully. There was every reason for her to say yes. They had been acquainted with each other in the whole time the former Kansas girl had spent as a munchkin. He was as much of a perfect and caring gentleman for her to feel consistently charmed over. Aunt Em had also, moments ago, given her blessings. She also knew, from some of her daily Sunday visits to the Gale homestead…as Dorothy's repaired house came to be called…in which Boq joined them for their regular dinner gatherings, that Uncle Henry also acknowledged Boq with the distinction of being a family friend.

But there was one element left to this conundrum that had yet to be explored, and that element had a name.

Jinjur.

For the moment, however, Dorothy was stunned by the Mayor's words. "I…I don't know what to say…"

"You need not say _anything, _my dear." Boq answered. "The patience _must _be mine, if only to make up for my previous failing. If it must be ten, twenty, even _fifty _years before you decide to make use of what Ozma has given you, then I shall _prove _how patient I can truly be. I want to be able to _earn _whatever affections you have for me, rather than demand that you be mine."

Dorothy pulled Boq in close, touching her forehead to his. She could not help but tremble as she spoke. "Boq…I promise you. You will _not _have to wait that long at all. I…I have a feeling the answer will come a lot sooner." She rubbed a hand over his cheek affectionately. "You're such a dear, sweet man…the bravest Mayor I've ever met…and…and certainly the most charming of gentlemen. You flatter me just as much with your courteous ways. I will confess, though. I…I do need just a…"

She couldn't bring herself to say it. _Just a little more time. _No, Dorothy thought. Bad choice of words!

"…no, I…I can't do that to you…"

But Boq placed his own hand over Dorothy's, and gently settled it on her lap. "Yes, you can. If it is more time you need, I insist that you take it. I did mean what I said, after all. If I must earn you, then I shall indeed wait. Please know this, however. Although I will admit that you are not the only one to bear the traits that had endeared me to my late wife, you are certainly the more desirable of them in my eyes."

Dorothy feared to ask her next question. The hesitation made her look a little more sullen. She was not on the verge of tears, but she did tremble a little more.

"Dear me…" Boq placed his hands on Dorothy's shoulders in his concern. "…why are you shaking?"

She looked up to him. The munchkin barely got the words out. "You won't…think…less of me if…if I…"

Boq quickly placed a hand over her mouth. The touch was a gentle one, and enough to indicate that no further words were needed.

He then shook his head. "_Never._ Nothing will change, Dorothy Gale. I _promise _you. Even if you should leave munchkin life behind you for the life you were born to live. Should it come to this, I will _prove _it."

They then heard a slight knock on the small panel doors in front of them. Boq pulled one side open so the driver could be heard.

"We are in front of Ministress Gale's house, sir." The driver reported.

"Thank you, Willington. She just needs a moment." Boq replied. He then gently closed the panel door, returning his gaze to Dorothy. "Go ahead, my dear. Leave me to my challenge. I…I deserve this."

Dorothy moved in close now, wrapping her arms around the back of his head as he blinked in surprise. "You deserve _this, _too."

She then pressed her lips against Boq's, lingering them there for a long moment before pulling away. Boq's face was as white as a sheet. He sat, petrified, in his place as Dorothy smiled.

"Relax, Boq. It's just us here." She placed a finger on his lips in emphasis of the discreet nature of what had just happened. She then giggled as she opened the panel doors in front of them, and then moved over Boq to exit the taxi, seeing that Boq's shocked expression had not changed. "Thank you so much for the ride home, your honor. Good night!"

She waved to Willington before turning to her door, and opening it to receive Toto's excited reception. The black-clad munchkin then turned his attention to the open panel.

"No further business this eve, sir?" Willington asked.

The only sound he heard from the open panel doors was "Uhh."

Willington nodded. "Right. Homeward bound then." He redirected the orange steed to a path which would take them to Boq's mansion home.

* * *

**Obviously, the song shared between Dorothy and Betsy was written to the tune of _The Merry Old Land of Oz_, from the film. :)**


	11. XI: Higher Learning

Betsy stepped aboard an early morning taxi bound for the Quadling Country following her evening's stay in the Emerald City, easily receiving permission from the princess Ozma to use a guest room in the royal palace. She had not seen Hank, her mule companion, in quite some time and Betsy figured that if she was going to be remaining at the tin palace for the moment, it would seem logical to relocate Hank there.

Sandrine, one of Glinda's fifty handmaidens, was there to greet her as she stepped off the taxi. "Good morning…Betsy, was it? I'm afraid Glinda and Mr. Diggs are busy working on a special project at the moment alongside Professor Wogglebug. May I help you with anything?"

"Is Hank still here?" Betsy asked.

"Hank? OH, your mule companion. Yes, we have been seeing to his care." Sandrine assured. "Although he has been well-fed and properly groomed, he has been a bit moody as of late. I suppose it's because you haven't been around." She held out a hand, smiling. "I'll take you to him. He's probably finished his breakfast by now."

Betsy nodded, taking the blond handmaiden's hand as she led Betsy to a stables area to the left of the large and beautiful red palace. Two other tired horses of a different color…one a peach color, the other lavender…were being cared for in addition to Hank, and when he saw Sandrine bringing Betsy to him, the unrestrained mule immediately galloped forward to meet her.

"Long time, no see, ol' friend!" Betsy wrapped her arms around Hank's furry neck as he slowed to a halt in front of her, squeezing lovingly.

"All th' food here is _delicious._" Hank noted. "An' th' handmaid'ns have been _very _nice while I've been here…but I still miss'd ya, Betsy."

"I'm stayin' at th' tin palace in the Winkie Country, Hank." Betsy responded. "I'd really like you t' stay there with me. Unless you're allergic t' the sight o' tin."

"Are they as nice there as th' handmaid'ns are here?" Hank asked.

"Absolutely, Hank." Sandrine confirmed, smiling. "Bear in mind that their Emperor, Nicholas Chopper, is a very heartfelt ruler. Everyone who willingly serves him there are just as nice and as courteous as we are. Their meals are a bit more robust, but no less delicious than our food."

"Hmmm, robust, eh? You've got me curious." Hank clopped over to where Betsy could mount him. "Jus' tell me where t' go. I'm rested an' fed enough t' carry you anywhere y' like, Betsy."

Sandrine helped Betsy mount the mule, and the Oklahoma girl gave the handmaiden a kiss on her forehead before she stepped away. "Thanks so much for takin' care o' Hank. If y' see Mist'r Diggs, please let him know we went to th' tin palace?"

Sandrine performed a dutiful curtsey. "As you wish, Betsy. Safe journeys to you and Hank."

With one final wave from Betsy, and a nod of acknowledgement from Hank, the mule began to clop away from Glinda's palace, establishing a brisk trot as he made his way out of the palace grounds. Other handmaidens similarly offered farewells as the duo left.

Betsy shared some of her solo adventures with Hank as they traveled. The mule found the adventure with the Hip-po-gy-raf particularly thrilling, and everything Betsy had mentioned about being in the tin palace made him all the more curious to see what the winkies there were like. He felt similarly after hearing what Betsy told him about their Emperor, as well.

But Betsy's peripheral vision caught sight of an odd occurrence at a lower ground elevation as they clopped towards the border area separating the Quadling Country from the Winkie Country. Betsy moved her head towards Hank and whispered. "Stop for a moment, Hank. I think somethin's up ov'r there."

Bobbing his head in acknowledgement, Hank's advance towards the edge of the naturally-formed ravine was as quiet as possible, and once Betsy felt they were close enough to observe, she slipped off Hank's back, and moved towards a large log laying on its side, hiding behind it. Hank made an effort to look like an idling mule as Betsy watched.

They were six women clad in black and red robes, one of which looked older than the rest and wore an eyepatch. They had black, pointed hats as well, giving both Betsy and Hank the impression that they were a coven of witches. Particularly for the fact that a kettle was boiling over a campfire that had been blazing below it, the kettle held aloft by sturdy iron bars, and the campfire surrounded by a matching array of white rocks encircling it.

The one with the eyepatch gestured to someone to the northeast of her, and two other similarly-dressed witches flanked a very beautiful young woman dressed in regally-designed fabrics. Her youthful face looked naturally sweet, but there was a sullen and despairing look upon it at the moment. Contrarily, the other witches looked ominously gleeful as the one with the eyepatch began throwing powders into the kettle, causing bright flashes to ignite.

The one-eyed witch's companions then began tying the girl, who did not make any move to resist, to a tree. They were too far to hear any words from this site, and anything they did hear was faint. They could only watch as the witches began dancing around the bound girl, speaking some form of chant as they moved. As they both watched, the appearances of these dancing witches altered to those of dainty, beautiful maidens. They could have easily been mistaken for harmless and benevolent ladies were it not for their menacing expressions.

The one-eyed witch then procured a brass bottle, pouring its contents into the kettle, which now emitted a cacophany of bubbling and smoking which sounded faint at Betsy's distance, but would likely have been loud had they been closer. Again, they heard words spoken which neither Betsy, nor Hank could make out.

The witch with the eyepatch then procured a ladle as the false maidens held the kettle aloft, and the witch plunged the ladle into whatever ugly mix they had concocted, pulling it out of the kettle. After shouting words…two of which, 'love' and 'heart', could be heard even at Betsy's distance...unto the skies, the one-eyed crone cast the ladle's contents onto the girl's breast. She yelped with the momentary burning pain, but then her expression seemed to freeze, her eyes wide open in horror.

Whatever magic had been applied, it had momentarily made the girl's body transparent, emphasizing her beating young heart. They were able to see its color go from its healthy red color to gray, and then to a frigid-looking white color. As the girl's transparency solidified, Betsy could make out strange patterns upon the girl's now pale skin, as if the veins beneath her skin were being filled with an icy blue substance.

The girl's head had lowered during this visibly unpleasant occurrence, but when the girl raised her head and opened her eyes, a cold and somewhat vicious expression was now upon it.

"This is not good." Betsy quietly remarked as all of the wicked witches danced in their exultation. "We've got t' tell Ozma."

"I agree." Hank replied. "Get back on me."

They were fortunately able to slip away without being noticed by the witches, who released their captive from the ropes that had bound her.

They were also quick to remove any evidence that they were there.

* * *

During those first two years, Dorothy felt very much out of place when she ate alongside the other munchkins during open breakfast, open lunch, and open dinner gatherings which happened every so often, each of which was hosted by a particular guild. As last week's open breakfast was hosted by the Lullaby League, the Learning Guild was next in the rotation. It was difficult for Dorothy to keep up with the massive amounts of gossip being exchanged, but she was at least receptive. She needed to be, as the munchkin tutor had to get a feel for munchkin society as a whole if she were to live among them as one of them.

At this moment, however, Dorothy Gale had become an active hand at gossip herself, knowing a great many munchkins and some of the things they had said or done in recent months. Any of this…among so many other subjects…could be added to the wellspring of subjects worth spreading gossip about.

"You should have _seen _what happened with Rory two weeks ago." Dorothy remarked, already in the groove of the moment after swallowing a spoonful of Blue Harvest Porridge. "She had just finished embroidering some beautiful flower designs just above the lower hem of the skirt she was working on. Her husband Ferris comes racing along with food in his mouth because he was dying to tell her something. Probably about another matter Rory knows next to _nothing _about…" This generated giggled from the listening munchkin socialites who she had befriended. "…and he trips and stumbles forward over a board that carpenter boy…what was his name…"

"Mull?" One socialite guessed.

Dorothy shook her head. "Mull works with gears, not wood."

"Hortense?" Another socialite surmised.

"Nope, not him. He's more of an everymunchkin." Dorothy answered.

"Biddle?" was the next guess.

"Yes! _That _was him! Biddle!" Dorothy confirmed. "So he stumbles over a board Biddle is working on and begins staggering all out of control. He's headed right on over to Rory, too, but she's too engrossed in her embroidery to notice! Heads are all turning towards this and we figure Ferris is gonna tear right through that skirt on impact…but wouldn't you know it? He brings himself to a dead stop! His eyes are right in front of a portion of the embroidery, Rory is beside herself with the terrible shock of her husband's sudden appearance, and all that silly munchkin could say was…'Where'd these lillies come from?'"

Dorothy's gossiping group giggled with great amusement at this as the round-bodied munchkin scooped another portion of her porridge into her waiting mouth.

Flora, the munchkin socialite who had thought Mull was a carpenter boy, chimed in with her comment. "Lillies always _were _his favorite kind of flower."

"Next to poppies, but he can only take so many long naps in one day." Varla, the socialite who had guessed Hortense, then added, earning giggles of her own from the others, Dorothy included.

It was then that Dorothy spotted another familiar munchkin girl heading towards her. Someone she had wanted to very much to speak to following the events of the previous night. She waved at Jinjur as the Master General Commander…who was in full uniform…casually walked towards Dorothy with a curious expression on her face.

"Still on duty, Master General Commander?" Dorothy asked, a bright smile on her face.

"No." Jinjur replied. "In fact, princess Ozma ordered me…she _ordered _me…to stand down. Then the Scarecrow suggested I come here for an open breakfast rather than eating with my comrades."

"Well, I'm sure you've eaten with them so many times." Dorothy reasoned. "Maybe he just wanted to suggest a change of scenery."

Jinjur nodded, looking a little suspicious now. "Maybe." She then looked to the food spread nearby. "Did you make any of this, Dorothy?"

"Mm-hmm! I have Herku Crumpets, Blue Harvest Porridge, and a whole bunch of baked, non-sentient Bunbury muffins." Dorothy confirmed. "There should be plenty of butter squares next to them. Mind if I join you? I could use another helping of that porridge."

"Hmm…the crumpets sound good…" Jinjur mused as Dorothy followed the munchkin soldier over to the food spread, around which all the outdoor tables had been arranged. As Jinjur collected her food, Dorothy started thinking of a way to ease the soldier's past with Boq into their discussion. She ultimately surmised that careful recollection of her previous night with him might produce results.

Dorothy collected more of the porridge, adding it to her partially-finished bowl. "I saw the Mayor last night, you know."

"Oh?" Jinjur started pouring thick syrup upon the crumpets she had collected onto a plate. "How is that moody little sneak?"

"Well, you know how he is. Bringing up Munchkinland initiatives, going over labor output, and everything…" Dorothy answered.

"…taking a fancy to girls far too young for him to be courting…" Jinjur sarcastically added. "…for all the doting he's been doing on people like me and you, he really needs to be reminded of the kind of scandal he could bring on himself, Dorothy. You and I, we ought to spread the word around."

"Why?" Dorothy frowned. "There's nothing wrong with him being a perfect gentleman."

"Don't you think he's being a bit _desperate _though, Dorothy?" Jinjur was at least making sure they were not being overheard as they spoke. The Ministress was similarly watching for eavesdroppers. Fortunately, everyone was deeply engrossed in their food, and their gossip.

"Honestly, Jinjur…for a man so sweet, and so responsible enough to keep an eye on his duties as the Mayor, don't you think you're being a bit harsh?" Dorothy gently scolded. "I have no intention of sullying Boq's good name anymore than I could remind everyone that it was _you_ who practically opened the door to let a power-mad shoemaker in two years ago."

Were this anyone else, Jinjur's ire would have been instantaneously provoked…but this was coming from Dorothy Gale, the great heroine she idolized and deeply respected. Jinjur was instead stung by these words. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly. "You really would do that, wouldn't you?"

"I won't like doing it, but I would…but ONLY if you let slip about whatever Boq did that apparently soiled your opinion of him." Dorothy replied. "Now look, Jinjur…no matter who or what he is, no matter _what he may have done_ in the past, he's just as much a friend as you and I are, the difference being he doesn't march all over Munchkinland with a perpetual chip on his shoulder. He's still a man who regularly earns respect for how much he works for…and still cares about…everyone here in Munchkinland. Even after all the grief you both must have gone through when the East Witch was in power. Don't you think he may still be nursing some of the wounds that may have been inflicted upon him in the past? Don't you think he might have _learned _something?"

Jinjur lowered her head a bit, and Dorothy had to deduce that the munchkin soldier was feeling at least a touch of shame. The munchkin tutor did not expect that she would speak as she was, but Dorothy knew she was at least speaking from the heart.

She just hoped her heart wouldn't take this confrontation too far.

Jinjur, however, looked a little concerned as she glanced upon the groups of gossiping munchkins. Dorothy had to guess that she wanted to get something off her chest in a manner no one had any chance of overhearing.

"Jinjur…if you'd rather not talk about it here, we can relocate to my house." Dorothy then offered. "I might have to take some of the stuff I brought back with us, though. Or we could just eat here. Either way…"

"I'll get the crumpets and the muffins." Jinjur interjected, already moving towards the food spread. A smile now played on Dorothy's face as she followed the off-duty soldier.

Her house was only a few Munchkinland blocks away from where the open breakfast was being held, and they were both able to bear the weight of their food burdens until they were in front of the large table in Dorothy's home. They had to shake out their arms from the stress before Jinjur pulled her dish and finally began to dig in to her untouched crumpets. Dorothy also settled at the big table to finish her porridge.

"Whatever you want to talk about, you should know that it won't go _anywhere _beyond this house." Dorothy reminded. She then noticed Toto rise from where he was laying to pad over to the stairs leading down to the hidden passageway. They both heard his little paws tapping down the stairs. "See? Even Toto understands. Now there really _is _no one but us."

Jinjur finally smiled, although it seemed a little more like a smirk, as the soldier continued to dig into her crumpets. "You know…there's a terrible irony to all this, Dorothy."

Dorothy swallowed the porridge she had in her mouth. "What kind of irony?"

Jinjur made her wait for it, scooping another forkful of her crumpets into her mouth, chewing, and then swallowing it before answering. "I don't hate him. I never have. Yes, I will admit that when he first proposed to me, I thought there might have been a lustful, uncouth monster behind that man's gentlemanly ways. It didn't help that I thought Belay was actively trying to discredit me in the eyes of the men, too…and that's an irony in and of itself. He's been one of my best friends ever since I became Master General Commander."

Dorothy shrugged, smiling. "Sometimes, someone's worst enemy can become that person's best friend."

"In my line of work, that's when other soldiers start worrying." They both shared a giggle at this observation. Jinjur's tone went thoughtful when next she spoke. "I guess it was more the fact that I couldn't that was bothering me. That it was for _his _sake that I needed to step away. I gradually understood that over time. I was born years after he was, and even if I _wanted _to grow older, there was nothing I could do about it, because doing that would only age me one year for every birthday. Well…unless a maturation ceremony was called for, but that's only when a person is in his or her infancy."

Although it seemed Dorothy was engrossed in her porridge, she had been listening to every single word, and it now seemed more apparent than ever what the ultimate solution to the situation between Jinjur and Boq should be.

And that solution was in a small vial resting against Dorothy's breast.

"Although I may not have shown it on the outside, you should know that if Boq really _did _find happiness with the kind of person who he would want to be with, I really would be very happy for him." Jinjur admitted. "I'm not fooled by the way he's been doting on you lately though, Dorothy. I think if you were older, you'd make a great couple."

"He's been hesitant, though. He never once proposed to me." Dorothy remarked. "He _learned, _Jinjur."

The munchkin soldier nodded. "I know. I guess when he proposed to me, he was…well…convinced that I was everything he loved about Maud. He was overcome with emotion, and he…slipped in his judgment. I know that now. If I were older back then, I…I'm sure my response would have been different."

"Under the inescapable circumstances, you were right in saying no." Dorothy noted.

Jinjur nodded. "I just wish it could have played out differently."

Her porridge bowl empty, Dorothy placed the bowl on the table and walked right up to Jinjur, placing her hands upon her shoulders. "Would you be afraid of being as old as he is?"

"Heh…if I were as old as _he _is, I'd _have _to retire." Jinjur mused. "I guess that's why I was thinking about it, remember? The last time we talked? I think being as old as he is…and being _with _him…would be the kind of crazy adventure I might just find appealing, Dorothy, but I couldn't do that as a soldier."

"Who would you have wanted to succeed you?" Dorothy asked. "Would you give Belay his old title back?"

Jinjur shook her head. "He wouldn't want it. He told me so himself. To be honest? I haven't really thought about it…and it wouldn't make any sense to think about it. I'm too young for him. Just like you have to accept that he could never marry you, either. We both have to accept that."

With a sigh, Dorothy nodded, although she was playing along. She tried another tactic. She couldn't just tell her. She needed to ease Jinjur into the revelation.

"You know…I talked to Ozma about his interest in me." She began. "She told me about a body of enchanted water in the Forest of Burzee called the Wellspring of Ages. Closely guarded and protected by the fairies for the danger it poses to anyone who comes into contact with the water. Human, munchkin, animal…diving into its waters results in instant death. You'd be a pile of sand in less than a minute."

"Not exactly a choice swimming hole." Jinjur mused.

"_But_…by taking the water in single drops, one can _become _older. All they would need to do is take the drops at night, and then settle in for an evening's sleep." Dorothy explained. "When that person wakes up…"

"Dorothy…are you suggesting what I _think _you're suggesting?" Jinjur sounded alarmed as she interjected. "It's forbidden for non-fairies to set foot in the forest of Burzee!"

But the munchkin calmly shook her head. "I'm not suggesting a visit to Burzee at all, Jinjur." She then fished beneath her dress, and carefully pulled off the necklace with the small vial. "But I _am _suggesting _this._"

Jinjur looked at the tiny glass vial, seeing the liquid in its container space. Dorothy maintained a tight grip on the silver links of the necklace, in the event that the munchkin soldier refused it in a manner that was not negotiable.

After a moment of silence, Jinjur lifted a finger up towards the vial, looking at the round-bodied munchkin that held the necklace it was attached to. "Is that from the…?"

Dorothy nodded.

Jinjur's hands then went to her waist as she frowned. "And _Ozma _gave you this?"

Dorothy nodded again. "There's enough here to make it possible for one to be as old as Boq, Jinjur…and while I've spent almost two years getting to know him, you've known him a lot longer than I have, and after what I've heard you saying about him, I think you should be the one to use it."

Jinjur stared at the vial for a very long moment now, contemplating Dorothy's wisdom.

Her eyes then went to Dorothy's. "I still think you and Boq would make a great couple, Dorothy."

Dorothy smiled. "My Aunt Em seems to think so. Uncle Henry likes him, too…but Jinjur, to be honest, I didn't help him…I didn't _inspire _him…to keep the munchkins from sinking into despair during the reign of a powerful witch."

"A witch _you _destroyed." Jinjur reminded.

"Jinjur…my house dropped on that witch. I had nothing to do with it." Dorothy countered. "I was just taking shelter from a tornado. If you're going to credit anyone or any_thing _for that mean ol' witch's death, you should credit the tornado."

Jinjur smiled in amusement. "Maybe Boq should marry the tornado."

Dorothy placed a hand, gently, on the munchkin soldier's shoulder. "Would you be willing to give him another chance, Jinjur?" She gently asked.

Another long moment passed, only this time, Jinjur had settled herself into the closest chair as Dorothy waited for her answer…

…but a knock on the door of the house interrupted the tense moment, and Dorothy went to answer it. Pulling the door open, she saw the tutor named Ermengarde standing there.

"Ministress Dorothy…an emergency meeting of the Learning Guild has been called." Ermengarde reported. "We need you there right away. I have a taxi waiting out here."

"Okay, Ermengarde. I just need a moment. I'll be right out." Dorothy replied. Ermengarde nodded as Dorothy shut the door.

She then walked back over to Jinjur slowly and thoughtfully. The munchkin soldier was apparently still in consideration of Dorothy's words. Perhaps weighing out the good and the bad. Her eyes then went to the munchkin Ministress.

It was at that point, when Dorothy smiled upon Jinjur, that she decided to let go of her potential future with Boq. She placed the necklace around Jinjur's neck, and then kissed her forehead.

"I have to go." Dorothy softly remarked. "We can talk more about this later, if you like."

And with that, Dorothy headed back outside, moving swiftly towards the taxi. Jinjur heard it pull away, leaving the munchkin soldier to return the curious gaze of Toto, who had returned from his brief stay in the subterranean passage. The little black dog just padded up and sat right in front of her.

Jinjur sighed, lingering her gaze upon the black cairn terrier. "What do _you _think I should do?" She mused aloud.

Toto tilted his head…and then spoke two words, much to Jinjur's surprise.

"Don't know."

* * *

Hank hurried Betsy through the pedestrian lanes of the Emerald City towards the royal palace, the four-legged mule calling out a few wild brays to clear the path in front of him. Bystanders hurried to the sides upon seeing and hearing the gray-furred mule's advance.

However, when the mule finally arrived at the entrance to the royal palace, they saw a soldier with a long green beard standing in front of the closed doors. Betsy quickly slipped off of Hank's back and hurried up towards the soldier, who was armed with a long-barrelled rifle which had a cork plugging the barrel. This cork was attached to a string connecting it to the barrel.

"I need t' see th' princess now!" Betsy firmly remarked. "It can't wait!"

But the soldier shook his head. "The princess is currently engaging in urgent business with a visitor. She gave strict instructions that they are not to be disturbed."

"But we saw witches! In th' Quadlin' Forest!" Betsy protested. "They were doin' some kind o' bad magic to a girl! We saw th' whole thing!"

The soldier blinked the moment he heard the word 'witches'. His expression turned wary, and he gave Betsy a nod of acknowledgement. "Wait here." Upon turning, he nearly collided with a very curious-looking Jellia Jamb. "Pardon me, Jellia."

After watching the soldier hurry down towards the throne room, Jellia turned to Betsy. "Did you say 'witches'?"

Betsy nodded. "They had witch hats, an' we saw 'em use magic."

When she explained to Betsy what had happened to the girl, a look of worry formed on Jellia's face. Particularly in the Oklahoma girl mentioning that the apparent leader of these witches had only one eye.

"Just when we were certain our problems with wicked witches were over." Jellia lamented, lowering her head. Jellia then noticed that the soldier was on his way back from the throne room, and he approached Betsy.

"The Princess Ozma has requested your presence." The soldier reported. "Please come with me."

Betsy quickly stepped outside to call out to Hank, who was still waiting outside. "I'll be right back! They're lettin' me in!"

"Tell her everything you told me, Betsy!" Jellia called out as she and the soldier headed for the doors to the throne room. Once she saw them go inside, the head maid hurried over to try and listen through the door.

Within the throne room, the soldier offered a bow. "Miss Betsy Bobbin, your highness."

"Thank you, Omby." Ozma then gestured for Betsy to approach. Also standing in front of the fairy princess was a man dressed in brilliant satins and velvets. A jewel-encrusted crown was on his head, and his hard and sullen face had a pair of eyes that seemed to glow like coals of fire as he turned curiously to Betsy.

The Oklahoma girl had to gasp a bit, seeing the ominous and unusual nature of this man's eyes, as Ozma began speaking. "Good morning, Betsy. Please explain the situation involving these witches you saw."

Betsy went into as much detail as she could about what she had seen. She spoke of the witch coven, their apparent leader, the kettle, the girl, and the magic spell they had cast upon her. She also described what effect this spell had on the girl.

When Betsy finished, Ozma turned to her other visitor. "Do you know anything about these witches, King Krewl?"

"I do, your majesty." Krewl replied. The tone of his voice was a bit severe as he spoke. "Those witches serve _me._"

Ozma arched an eyebrow, and Betsy's eyes widened as she turned to Krewl.

Krewl smiled slightly as his own glowing eyes met Betsy's. "Yes, they were dealing with a spy. We figured she came from one of the colder regions on the other side of the desert. Took the form of a lovely young princess. She nearly had us all fooled, too, but we sprung a trap and forced her to confess that she and her young accomplice sought to bring ruin not only to our kingdom of Jinxland, but to other communities in the Quadling Country as well."

Ozma nodded, considering Krewl's words. "And this…accomplice…?"

"His name is Pon." Krewl replied. "Posed as gardener to the former King of Jinxland, until that sneaky saboteur killed him. I had to step in and restore order. Those witches offered their help. I'm relieved to hear they finally captured the girl. That should make it easier for us to get our hands on the boy."

"But…that girl wasn't strugglin'." Betsy frowned in her confusion. "I would think she'd be kinda upset. Put up some kind of a fight or somethin'."

Krewl chuckled at this. "Did you not say that there was more than one witch there? She clearly resigned herself to defeat. When I go back, I intend to deal with her personally." He then turned his head toward Ozma. "I give you my word as the King of Jinxland. This spy will be no further trouble."

Ozma nodded in acknowledgement. "For the moment, I will take you at your word…but understand that we will be verifying your story. If any part of what you tell me is contrary to what Betsy has told us, you're going to be seeing me again, and I will _not _be alone. Even if we have to come down to Jinxland to question you personally."

Krewl nodded slowly, a slight smile on his face. "However you wish to make your inquiries, your highness, trust me." He glanced to Betsy. "I will be ready for them." His head turned back to Ozma. "For the moment, I must return to Jinxland. This news of the capture of the saboteur has made me eager to go back and question her. Personally."

Ozma nodded once. "You may go, then."

Krewl then offered a farewell bow to the fairy princess. "Your Highness." He similarly turned to bow to Betsy. "Little one." He then hurried himself out of the throne room.

Betsy turned back to Ozma. "She didn't look like any kinda enemy, your highness."

"Part of the reason why I called you in to join us, Betsy." Ozma replied. "Ordinarily, I would have Glinda called in, but she's busy with a special project. When next I see Glinda, however, we're going to have everything verified. Everything you saw, and that which Krewl told us."

Betsy frowned in her puzzlement. "How?"

"Glinda keeps a large volume of text called the Great Book of Records." Ozma explained. "Anything and everything that happens in Oz, and outside of it, is magically recorded upon pages of the book. As much as there are articles such as Ugu the shoemaker's overthrow of the Scarecrow's rule and Dorothy Gale's first visit to Oz, and her subsequent return home, there are also articles about the fall of the ancient Roman empire and the American Revolution."

Betsy looked surprised at this. "That must be a really big book!"

Ozma smiled in amusement. "The largest in existence, by Glinda's estimation." The fairy ruler, who was to all appearances a lovely human girl of a very young age, then rose from her throne and stepped over to Betsy, smiling. "So…how are you enjoying your stay in Oz so far, o' Queen of Diamonds?"

Betsy smiled. "Well…it's had its ups an' downs, but…least I'm still me. Some things still seem kinda weird t' me."

Ozma nodded amusedly. "Like a walking, talking scarecrow? Or the munchkins?"

Betsy giggled. "An' a man made o' tin."

"That Hip-po-gy-raf must have been quite a sight, too." Ozma noted.

"An' a ruler who looks like a lil' girl." Betsy then observed, gesturing to Ozma.

"Oh? Not used to seeing little girls as great leaders of an entire land?" Ozma quirked an eyebrow, although her smile remained. In the next moment, however, her form suddenly seemed to mature, within moments, in front of Betsy. Ozma now looked to be in her late forties, and she looked as beautiful as she was as a little girl. The Oklahoma girl's eyes widened in amazement upon seeing this. "Perhaps if I looked a little older?"

"Woooow…" was all Betsy could say.

Ozma giggled as her form diminished, restoring itself back to that of a little girl. "Neat trick, eh? Well…as you might expect, Betsy, I'm not human at all. I'm a fairy from the Forest of Burzee. I was part of a band of fairies led by my mother, a far more powerful fairy named Lurline. It was through her magic that Oz became what it is today. A place where no one needs to grow old, and where no one dies. When the Wicked Witches of the East and the West came to power, they managed to neutralize that spell. That's also why they were both so cruel to the people of Oz. They seemed to think the land's enchantment was a violation of the laws of nature that they, as witches, were duty-bound to protect. They wanted to show that even with Lurline's spell in place, people could, in fact, die. When they saw how much this intimidated the winkies and the munchkins, they decided to occupy those countries and begin their respective reigns of terror."

"Good thing they're both gone, then." Betsy soberly observed.

"Indeed!" A smile returned to Ozma's face. "I'd rather have a Queen of Diamonds than a Wicked Witch of the West, after all!"

"Where's your wings?" Betsy asked. "Aren't fairies s'posed t' have wings?"

Ozma giggled. "Well…my father was half-human, so I was born wingless. The fairies at Burzee don't treat me any differently, though. Most of them don't, anyway."

A knock was then heard at the throne room doors. Ozma recognized the knocking to be Omby's, and always just before he comes in to announce a visitor.

The soldier stepped in and performed his courteous bow, as per his standard procedure. "Your highness…Locasta, the Good Witch of the North."

"Ah, Locasta." She stepped down to stand next to Betsy, putting an arm around her shoulders, as the sweet-natured old woman in the white robes stepped in holding her long, golden staff topped with a stylized 'N'.

She performed a curtsey before the princess, and then spotted the Oklahoma girl. "Oh, Betsy…good thing you're here. You might as well hear this, too." The benevolent witch then turned her gaze to Ozma. "Your highness…it seems we have a potentially serious matter. One of the gillikins…a young boy…has gone missing."

Betsy began to feel a sense of dread when she heard this. For her sake, she hoped this was an entirely different situation.

"Do you know this boy's name?" Ozma asked. "It would make it easier to find out what happened to him."

"No need, your highness." Locasta replied. "I have a mirror which confirmed his current situation. His name is Woot, your highness. It would appear that he is currently…not himself. He is in the company of the large woman who was once the wife of the Yoop."

Woot.

Mrs. Yoop.

The secret was finally out…and knowing Mrs. Yoop, she would immediately believe that Betsy had broken her promise, even if she truthfully didn't.

Although she made every effort to refrain from looking gravely nervous, Betsy's skin went pale as Locasta and Ozma spoke further.

* * *

Dorothy and the other tutors finished speaking their vows aloud, and Headmistress Philomena…standing next to her as one of the two high authorities of the Learning Guild…motioned for everyone to lower into their seats. Dorothy and Philomena remained standing, although Dorothy stepped off to the side to allow the Headmistress to dominate the area.

"Tutors…" she turned to Dorothy. "…Ministress…" Her head turned back to the tutors. "…a radical development is about to be demonstrated to us, courtesy of two visitors waiting for us outside. I must ask that you give them both your complete and undivided attention. Tutors…Ministress…" She then gestured to the closed entrance door. "I give you the Highly-Magnified and Thoroughly-Educated Professor Wogglebug, who has one of our, uh…less-successful students with him."

The door opened from the other side, and the insectoid professor walked in. Habitually dressed in a highly-refined and gentlemanly outfit with a gray-spotted blue cravat beneath his chin, the Professor permitted a young munchkin boy to pass him and enter the room with frumpy steps. Stopping at the desk Dorothy was standing near, he leaped into a sitting position upon the desk, using the surface as his chair as he crossed his arms in front of him.

Although the tutors…Dorothy included…said nothing, they all recognized this boy to be Sprog, a disagreeable and obnoxious young boy who had gone through six tutors before Philomena deemed the boy unteachable. He had a cherubic face, and two wisps of the blond hair on his partially bald head swept upwards on top of his head, giving him the appearance of having horns. As always, Sprog was frowning, as he was always bitter when in the presence of tutors, although he was particularly bitter now because he was actually inside the one place in all of Munchkinland that he absolutely hated. He wore an outfit made up of a pair of tan slacks and suspenders which were slung over a blue and white-striped short-sleeved shirt, giving him the appearance of a member of the Lollipop Guild, although he was never a member of that group.

"Greetings and salutations, educators." The Professor began. He then turned to Dorothy. "And to our esteemed Ministress of Educational Affairs." He turned back to the others upon seeing Dorothy nod and smile in acknowledgement. "On this lovely morning, I have taken the distinct liberty of bringing before you one of your least-successful prospects in the time-honored pursuit of education, so that I may present an alternative and…remedial means of presenting the noble, but admittedly time-consuming pursuit of education itself."

Even Dorothy had to admit Sprog was a hard case, having actually witnessed other tutors try…and fail…to teach him any kind of knowledge he willingly held to. "How did you manage to even bring him _here?_" She asked.

Sprog snapped his head to Dorothy. "He said I'd get _candy._" He growled in a considerably nasty tone.

"You don't _deserve _candy." Dorothy shot back with a glare of her own.

"Whadda _you _know, ya fake munchkin?" Sprog countered.

"Now, now, Ministress…" The Wogglebug calmly remarked before Dorothy could attempt a comeback. "…I did indeed offer him such a thing, but I wished for the Learning Guild to pay witness to it."

Philomena looked a bit surprised. "You suggested…nay, _demanded_…an emergency meeting of our guild just so you could feed this…this brash, uncouth malcontent a piece of _candy?_"

"Indeed, Headmistress Philomena." He then produced a capsule from a pocket on his waistcoat, presenting it to the group, and even bringing it over for Dorothy to see. What she saw was a common capsule that had been coated with a layer of what looked like a syrup-like film. He then turned his attention to Sprog, who also looked at it curiously. "It should be quite tasty, too. This is sugar-coated."

"Gimme that!" Sprog grabbed the capsule and put it in his mouth. He actually tried chewing on the plastic covering, and although he did taste the sugary coating, he also tasted a far less sweet substance that dissolved quickly in his mouth.

"There, now, Sprog! Promise kept." The professor stood before the boy, who reacted as if he had gotten a taste of the worst food he could ever put in his mouth. It briefly sounded as if he were choking on the dissolved abundance of small white pellets the capsule released when he bit upon it.

The professor's tone, however remained somewhat analytical. "Now tell me, Sprog…did that not taste good?"

Sprog tried spitting it out, but he produced nothing but his own phlegm. The pellets had completely dissolved, and his brain felt funny as he spoke. "_Pheaugh! _My…my sensitive tastebuds vehemently disagreed with this vile substance!"

The eyes of each and every tutor, the Headmistress, both Vice Headmistresses(and it should be noted here that Philomena did allow Summa to keep her job despite her confession), and the Ministress were boggling when they heard these sophisticated words coming out of the least-likely to have been able to even pronounce them correctly.

"Well, if you permitted me to _explain,_ my dear Sprog, you would know that a capsule is not _bitten _open, but is rather to be swallowed." The professor looked to Summa. "I believe the boy will require a bit of water, if you please."

Summa looked to Philomena, who was still aghast at the boy's response. A part of her wondered if Sprog had been coached in advance as she nodded to Summa, who rose from her seat to acquire the needed cup of water.

Magna Cumlaude, however, needed a little more convincing. "Sprog…how are you feeling?"

"Betrayed!" Sprog growled, eliciting a round of gasps. "I am surmising the distinct impression that I have been _swindled! _I am considerably disappointed!"

"Now, now…let me make it up to you, Sprog." The insectoid professor produced another pill, no different in appearance from the last. "Here now. _Swallow _this one."

Sprog, however, was hesitant to open his mouth. He did not want to have to deal with that horrible taste again.

"All you will acknowledge is the sugary coating." The professor assured. "Come now, down the hatch."

Ermengarde, however, rose from her seat. Dorothy knew that she was among the tutors who had unsuccessfully tried to tutor the boy. "Hey, Sproggo!" She smirked as she spoke. Clearly, she thought the time was right for payback after suffering the grief of his retaliations. "What's sixteen times fifty-four divided by twenty-five minus fifteen plus eighty?"

"_I bear no such knowledge!_" Sprog shouted. Fortunately, the professor was able to toss the capsule into the boy's mouth as he shouted. His tongue acknowledged the sugar coating.

Only this time, he swallowed it whole.

Once again, his brain felt funny. The boy looked at Ermengarde in a confused way. "Repeat those figures for me?"

Ermengarde looked surprised at this. "Sixteen times fifty-four divided by twenty-five minus fifteen plus eighty."

After a moment, Sprog shrugged, speaking the answer as if it were perfectly obvious. "Ninety-nine point fifty-six."

Gasps were louder now, and Ermengarde was utterly speechless.

The professor turned his head to Philomena. "He did respond correctly, did he not?"

Philomena, still looking entirely surprised, nodded slowly. "Every number of it."

Dorothy had to rise from her seat to approach the professor. "Wait a minute…let me see if I comprehend this correctly, professor. Did you educate Sprog just by having him swallow a capsule?"

"Precisely, Ministress." The professor then produced a third capsule. "Behold, fellow educators…the instrument which shall forever put the conventional and time-consuming process of education to rest at long last! I give you…the _School Pill!_" He held it forward for all to see.

Sprog looked curious. "What subject is that, Professor?"

"I do believe this one is a grammar Pill." The Wogglebug replied. "The ones I gave you were for vocabulary, and for mathematics. If you wished to spell out the words you used, you would require a Spelling Pill. I suppose you could supplement a touch of grammar with your vocabulary, however." The professor then tossed Sprog the pill, which he swallowed.

Dorothy began to realize what this could mean. She was the first person to speak of it as it gradually dawned on the rest of the tutors…and the Headmistresses…in the room. "Professor…I can see the brilliance in this development, but…may I ask why this was made?"

"In my observations around Munchkinland…indeed, all over the land…there have been communities who have attempted education, but none have been as eloquent and as thorough in its educational disciplines as this very community." The professor explained. "However, while I cannot say this is not a _physically _active community, I do believe its citizens could do with more, shall we say, _recreational_ activities. Introducing the School Pills into one's upbringing relinquishes the need for active study in favor of the beneficial calisthenics provided by more…athletic activity. A delicate balancing of personal development is henceforth achieved."

"But…if it works as well as it _apparently _does…" Philomena noted. "…then that would render tutoring practices obsolete, wouldn't it? There would be no need for a Learning Guild anymore."

"Not necessarily." The professor responded. "An administrative body can conceivably remain, if only to regulate the dispensation of knowledge. However, I do agree that you would need to, uh, rather _radically _diminish your complement of tutors. I fancy perhaps…" He then gestured to Dorothy. "…the Ministress of Educational Affairs should be a deciding factor in an appropriate School Pill regimen?"

At this point, Dorothy began to see that signs were manifesting which made it entirely apparent that this chapter in her life in Oz…her time spent as a member of the Learning Guild…needed to come to an end, much as she was hesitant to let it go. The development of the School Pill, however, gave her new status very little in the way of necessity. Further, she felt she would be robbing someone far more deserving of such a responsibility. She did not want to see Philomena's job sacrificed as a result of this development.

"Actually, professor…" Dorothy slowly began. "…if…anyone were more deserving of such an important responsibility, I think my status should pass to Headmistress…or rather, Ministress…Philomena H. Dee. Her Vice Headmistresses can assist in preparing an appropriate School Pill regimen."

Gasps and murmurs of disbelief could now be heard from the tutors they faced. Headmistress Philomena was particularly surprised, as were the Vice Headmistresses.

Philomena hurried over to speak in confidence with Dorothy. "Are you positively _certain, _Dorothy dear? If you're worried about my being released as a Headmistress…"

"You've been at this responsibility longer than I have, Ministress Philomena. You practically fought to establish this guild. I can't see you abandon it on account of someone like me." Dorothy resolutely interjected, smiling. "I'll see Mayor Boq later today and let him know about the handover."

"But…what about _you, _dear?" Philomena asked, genuinely concerned.

Dorothy shrugged. "I'll think about it tonight over a bowl of chickenstalk broth."

"You know, Dorothy…" Philomena ventured her thinking openly. "…it is entirely possible that things could go wrong. A side effect, or something. If these School Pills are not completely foolproof…"

"…then you can always re-form the guild." Dorothy reasoned. "If you want my advice, Ministress, give it at least a year. If you only have one or two who have problems with the School Pills, you can have either Summa or Magna tutor them the way we always have been doing. But if it is as good as the Professor has demonstrated…and I have a feeling it will be…then we may have to accept that with the exception of you and the Vice Headmistresses, this guild may need to disband."

Magna had a hand up to get the Professor's attention, and the insectoid educator turned to her as the room began to quiet down. "Yes, Vice Headmistress?"

"Who, exactly, _made _these School Pills?" Magna asked.

"Well…while I was the one who seeded the idea in the interest of balancing physical development with the pursuit of knowledge, as I had mentioned, the actual work that went into the cultivation of this development was primarily orchestrated by the great and powerful Wizard of Oz himself, with resource assistance from Glinda, providing that infallible and…rather _massive_ volume of historical text she has in her possession." The Professor answered. "He's becoming quite adept in the use of magical willworking, I must say. I suspect that within a shorter period of time than one might expect, Glinda will no longer need to refer to Mr. Diggs as a mere apprentice."

Dorothy had to smile at this revelation. She had a feeling the use of magic was involved, and if a lot of the magic came from him, then he was clearly on the way to becoming a _true _wizard, if he wasn't one already.

Some tutors actually responded with a sense of relief. "Well…I suppose this gives me more time to concentrate on the garden I'm developing…"

Others, however, could not help but despair over the development. "And I was having so much fun using those flash cards with Horatio! He learned _so much _from them!"

Although Summa obviously felt a little relieved for the fact that she would not need to actually tutor a child as per her penance, she could not help but speak out in support of those who were saddened by the guild's apparently imminent end. "Maybe we could create a kind of backup resource? Keep this place open for supplemental learning? Have some of us volunteer to attend on a rotational basis?"

Philomena raised her hands for both attention and silence, stepping to the center of the room once more. "Your suggestions and ideas will of course be noted and given the most serious consideration, fellow tutors. As many of you might suspect, I too feel a great sense of hesitance in downsizing our association and our duties to the people of Munchkinland. However…there is one thing about this development that has changed nothing, and that is the bonds of fellowship we have established in our time together as a guild. Far more than a handful of our students have advanced themselves, educationally, through our good work. However, I must also acquiesce to the wisdom of the esteemed professor as well. Just looking at some of the munchkins, I can clearly see the need in balancing out physical development, as well as educational development. It is, as you might expect, far easier to gorge on snacks while solving arithmetic problems as it is to engage in the rigors of calisthenics."

Many munchkins nodded in agreement with this, some of them feeling a bit shameful.

Philomena then turned to the professor. "I imagine more than a handful of these pills are ready for deployment?"

"Actually, Oscar could use a bit more time to replicate and amass." The professor replied. "This should leave you adequate time to re-structure things. I can report unto you at a time when we feel enough school pills have been gathered, in all subjects of developmental importance, to be able to begin their deployment."

"Say…what about a weekly luncheon? Just between us all?" Ermengarde suggested aloud. "Just to keep our association strong. Just because the guild is changing doesn't mean we need to end our friendships, right?

Many nods and murmurs of full agreement came in the wake of this suggestion.

One, however, offered a caveat. "Only if Miss Dorothy keeps bringing her Blue Harvest Porridge."

Dorothy giggled along with everyone else, and the round-bodied munchkin nodded. "You can count on that, Mellie."

Summa spoke once again. "Maybe we could, uh…combine the two? I mean, both physical and educational development? All in one place?"

Magna, however, noted a problem with this. "I don't think we have the space here to include anything more than a jumprope."

"Agreed, but…perhaps a more spacious plot can be established to create one?" The professor offered. "A hub, so to speak, for all personal development? Perhaps even a College of our very own?"

"Hmmm…" Philomena thought on this. "…a College of…Educational…and Athletic…Perfection?"

"Well, I would think that your guild has made the educational process an art form." The professor observed. "Other, more leisurely arts could be applied there as well. Other than what the School Pills provide, of course."

"We can establish the rotation of tutors I mentioned there as well." Summa offered.

"Sounds positively splendid!" The professor happily responded. "Indeed, I am quite relieved that we are coming to such a synergy on this. We should coordinate a floor plan and begin development at once, should we wish to have this place ready in time to begin deployment of the school pills."

"My husband's a carpenter, professor." Millie offered. "He makes very sturdy foundations with the wood he regularly gathers."

Tally, another tutor, spoke out as well. "My brother makes great furniture pieces as well!"

Ermengarde was the next to speak. "I can help you draw out the floor plan, if you like, professor."

The rest of the tutors were now in a cacophany of offerings, and the professor looked to be entirely overwhelmed by the show of support as Philomena and Dorothy watched with great satisfaction.

Philomena then brought her mouth near Dorothy's ear. "Step outside with me a moment, Miss Dorothy?"

The former Ministress nodded, and followed Philomena outside as the professor continued to try and sort out the offerings made by the other tutors. Once they were beyond the front door of the Learning Guild's headquarters, the new Ministress turned to Dorothy.

"I remember the day I reminded you that you needed to honor your commitment to us as if it had happened yesterday, my dear Dorothy." Philomena began. "For you to so suddenly give up a title the Mayor himself conferred upon you, I cannot help but wonder if you are thinking of returning to the princess for the sake of having yourself restored."

Dorothy's eyes lowered thoughtfully. "Well…to be honest, I…haven't really thought on that just yet."

Philomena's hands then grasped Dorothy's arms. "Oh, but why would you need to, though? You've developed so _wonderfully_ these past two years since your transformation, it's as if you should have been _born _to be among us munchkins."

Dorothy smiled in her deep thought. "Boq sure thinks so."

"Indeed." Philomena replied, her tone becoming a little more authoritative as she guided Dorothy further away from the guild headquarters, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "I can see it in your eyes, my dear. Your widely-acknowledged enjoyment of our culture and our way of life cannot be disputed, Miss Dorothy. Not even by you. I think you should accept the plainly obvious fact. You are one of _us_ now. As much of a munchkin as you possibly can be."

Perhaps because of Philomena's tone, Dorothy found herself lost in indecision as they walked. "Well…"

"Oh, Dorothy. What _possible _hesitation could there be?" Philomena reasoned as they continued to move. "Does it not fill you with giddy joy to prepare foods as eagerly as you do? To share in the exchange of gossip? To eagerly work as diligently as we do? What's more, if I understand what I have heard correctly, your own Aunt and Uncle have even been at peace with what you have become, have they not?"

"Yes, but…"

"This is not an opportunity that could be embraced so comfortably by any of human birth, Miss Dorothy." Philomena continued as they passed among crowds of munchkin citizens, many of them acknowledging and waving to Dorothy as they passed. "Has human history not shown a propensity for the less scrupulous of humans to brashly attempt dominance? To be, for lack of a better word, overbearing? You have no such traits, Miss Dorothy. You are as humble a soul as I have ever seen in one born a human, particularly for your justified refusal to take credit for the deaths of those horrible witches, which I am well aware were circumstantial incidents. This humility has also quite clearly transitioned to your munchkin life, given your willingness to surrender the exalted title of Ministress to one such as I. While humankind must always stand taller than munchkins as a natural rule, does it not reflect your natural sense of humility better, being the way you are now?"

By now, Philomena had led Dorothy to a storefront, where a mirror could be seen sitting behind a large glass pane. The new Ministress gestured to the mirror as she finished her previous question, stepping behind her and placing her arms around her body. She positioned her head next to Dorothy's as the former human girl gazed upon her own reflection thoughtfully.

Philomena squeezed Dorothy affectionately as she spoke. "Look upon yourself, dear. So endearingly round. So blissfully content. You have spent two years among us, and I am certain you can add a great many more years to your time. Can you not see the possibilities that lie in a decision to continue being one of us for the rest of your _life_, Miss Dorothy?"

As Philomena spoke, Dorothy traced the fingers of her pudgy hand upon her face, feeling along the pale skin, and turning her head to the sides to see the reflections of her spiral sideburns on either side of her face, and the lovely curls adorning her head. She looked down upon her blue and white dress, a gift from a benefactor she had yet to discover the identity of, and she touched the end of her knobby nose in her self-assessment.

Dorothy spoke softly as she began to speak. "It's true. I…I have thought about this life…and…how much I really do love it…with all my heart…"

"And it never bothers you to have to look up to a human, nor anyone taller than you, does it?" Philomena asked, still holding to Dorothy from behind. "You _feel _the humility more than any human could. You're reminded of it. Our quaint lifestyle is such a natural thing for someone like you, Miss Dorothy. Look upon yourself again, now. Fill your Ministress with pride. Tell yourself what you are now. Believe every word of it."

She was within moments of doing exactly what she was instructed to do. _I am a munchkin. _These were the words Philomena expected to hear.

But something was preventing her from saying them, and she had to explain why.

"Neither of us can deny what Sprog had said though, even if he was being rude." Dorothy explained as she turned to the new Ministress. "I'm sure he's not the only one, either, to call me a fake munchkin."

"Oh, but Dorothy…_Miss _Dorothy…you speak of an uncouth malcontent!" Philomena reasoned.

"You can't say he's wrong, though." Dorothy countered. "Maybe you're right. Maybe in time, people who might treat me with any kind of spite because I was given a life I was never born with might come to accept me, but I have a feeling there's always going to be someone else who will not be so eager to believe that I could _truly_ be a munchkin. Shakespeare said it best, Ministress. 'To thine ownself be true'. Can you truthfully say that this really is the real me?"

Philomena's answer was clear as she stared into Dorothy's eyes with conviction. "_Yes, _Miss Dorothy. In fact, I put to you that while you were not born as one of us, you can truthfully think of this as a new chapter in your existence. One in which your body matches your nature, no matter what others may think."

Philomena then placed her hands upon both sides of Dorothy's cheeks, cradling the unsure munchkin's chin in the new Ministress's hands. The fact that Philomena was wearing a very pleasant perfume scent that was unique to Munchkinland did not make this moment any easier for Dorothy to counteract.

"Please, Miss Dorothy." Philomena softly remarked. "Bring yourself to accept this. Consider that in the greek language, your name is derived from the word 'Dorothea', and this word translates to 'God's gift'. You have gifted us, even by way of circumstance, with liberation from the tyranny of a wicked witch. This is _our_ gift to you in return."

"But I…I only accepted it to fulfill an oath." Dorothy softly explained. "It was the right thing to do."

Philomena nodded, still cradling Dorothy's chin. "I know. I know, dear…and it was at my request, as well. In so doing, you have passed a test in and of itself with flying colors. Now I absolutely believe that you must now completely embrace the munchkin you could be for the rest of your life."

Dorothy's eyes lowered thoughtfully, even as her chin remained in the hands of the munchkin Ministress.

"Do you not trust in the judgment of your Ministress of Educational Affairs, Miss Dorothy?" Philomena then asked. "Tell me what you are."

Dorothy's body began to tremble now. "I…"

"Yes?"

Dorothy swallowed hard before she spoke. "…I am a munchkin."

Philomena nodded. "Say it again." The Ministress pushed a curl that had fallen between Dorothy's eyes to the side. "Tell me what you are, Miss Dorothy."

"I am a munchkin."

"And again." Philomena's tone was not harsh, but it was a little more authoritative now. "You deserve our gift. Tell me what you are."

Dorothy smiled now, her eyes watering a bit. "I am a munchkin."

Philomena smiled back now, kissing Dorothy tenderly on her forehead. "My dear, sweet Miss Dorothy. Go on home now. Indulge in the enjoyment of preparing yourself a delicious lunch while I go back in and see what kinds of ideas have been developed around this College idea of ours."

The Ministress finally released Dorothy's chin, and the former human began to step away, her thoughtful smile still on her face as she wiped a fallen tear. "I'll see you later, Ministress."

Now it should be noted, dear reader, that Philomena had no actual talent in hypnosis! It was more in the way she had impressed upon young Dorothy the potent logic in convincing her to remain a small, but very talented and cute munchkin despite the fulfilling of her Learning Guild oath. The former Kansas girl had been given quite a bit to think about…and for the moment, she seemed entirely convinced of the honest truth in the logic of the new Ministress.

She had walked the entire way from the Learning Guild headquarters locale to that of the home Locasta had given her, where Toto naturally waited for Dorothy's return. Remembering that she had left Jinjur there, she had expected to see the small vial on one of the house's tables, rejected in favor of Jinjur's refusal to give Boq a second chance.

But the vial was nowhere to be seen. She had even checked the hidden passage beneath the house. It was completely gone.

Dorothy had to smile when she realized what that meant.

She didn't immediately begin making any lunch as she returned from the hidden passage. Dorothy still had Philomena's words lingering in her head. She instead moved her most comfortable chair up by the large window by the front door and settled into it, allowing Toto to leap into her lap as well.

She then stared out the window, watching various munchkins go about their business.

Toto looked to her curiously. When Dorothy noticed this, her eyes stared right back at him thoughtfully.

She ran a hand over the black fur on his head tenderly. "Is this the real me, Toto? Have I finally found myself?"

Dorothy rose out of the seat, and then headed for the large mirror she remembered first seeing herself in when Locasta…as "Auntie Lo"…had first changed her into a munchkin form so she could avoid the notice of the winged monkeys looking for her at the urging of the last wicked ruler of Oz. She stepped in close enough to be able to see a perfectly-framed semblance of herself, pale skin, spiraling sideburns, round body and all. Here, it seemed, she was able to think a little more clearly on what Philomena had said.

She could certainly remain this way, Dorothy began considering. She had proven herself capable of living among the munchkins as one of them. She had become quite talented not only in being able to teach educational lessons to the young, but also in cultivating a great many foods, and growing the many kinds of crops necessary to make those foods. She could bring herself into the conversational circles of the socialites, armed with local knowledge of her own. In the beginning, she was more quiet. More of a listener than a responder. Now, she could initiate quite a bit of gossip herself, having become an active part of the social elite. Her cooking talents certainly helped her advance within these circles, too, having provided many foods on those occasions when an open breakfast, an open lunch, or an open dinner was to be served.

But within moments, things seemed to have changed. Contrary to what Philomena had warned, she did not doubt…particularly with Glinda being a participant in its cultivation…that the school pills Oscar developed would dramatically change the ways and means of developing an education not just in Munchkinland, but anywhere in Oz as well. She suspected that once the College had come to life, it would become a very popular place, and the primary center of learning for the land, if not just Munchkinland.

And why did she initially accept the notion of becoming a munchkin? To honor the oath she had made. Her time and tutoring with Tula was done, and her oath was fulfilled. She could be held to her oath no further. She remembered Ozma's words as if she had said them yesterday.

But then, there was the offer Boq had made. Serving as the central authority for any and all educational matters. A status higher than that of the Headmistress herself. A status clearly born of Boq's interest in Dorothy herself.

A status Dorothy had just surrendered, however, out of respect to Philomena H. Dee.

And then, there was Boq. The spiritually brave and gentlemanly Mayor of Munchkinland. A munchkin so charming, he had won over both Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. A lonely man still hurting over tragedies and mistakes in his past, yet never completely surrendering hope. Always holding on. It was no surprise, seeing as how he had been exercising this sense of perseverance while a great many munchkins were suffering and dying around him.

But as much as Dorothy would have been just as content to have drank the small vial Ozma had given her, and then paying Boq a visit to reveal that she was now old enough to accept a marriage proposal, she had already surrendered that possibility to someone he knew much longer than he had known Dorothy.

Perhaps towards the end of the week, she thought to herself, Dorothy would make a decision. To abandon humanity for the rest of her life, or to return to it.

For the moment, she finally stepped away from the mirror and went to the kitchen area to fix something up for lunch. So many possibilities, Dorothy thought. All those exotic dishes she had learned to make.

And yet still, even in Oz, she could toast up a slice of bread, and smear a generous portion of peanut butter, and then coat that with a layer of jelly.

Just like she used to do back in Kansas.

The peanut butter &amp; jelly sandwich she had made, as a result of this thinking, tasted just as good as those her Aunt Em had made for her.

Only Dorothy, being the munchkin she now was, had five similar sandwiches prepared as well, in case one was not enough to satisfy munchkin hunger.

* * *

"What in the _world _makes you think that he actually wishes to _remain _this way, Betsy?" Locasta asked the Oklahoma girl, aghast at the full explanation she finally found the strength to share.

Even the princess Ozma had a very wary expression on her face as she spoke. "Betsy…in all honestly, you don't know the past history of yookoohoos like we do. Theirs is a selfish vanity which had been inflicted upon the people of Oz a great many years ago. Long before the witch-sisters conquered the east and west lands."

"That is part of why there are so few of them left, dear." Locasta reasoned. "Glinda was forced to deal with them in a manner she was initially hesitant to perform. King Pastoria was a bit, shall we say, _rash_ in his decisions back then, but we knew he was at least thinking of the safety of the people of Oz, many of whom had been taken to be constantly-changing possessions of the yookoohoos."

Betsy looked a little horrified over what Locasta had said about the Good Witch of the South. "Glinda didn't _kill _them, did she?"

"Oh, dear me, no." Locasta clarified. "She had actually set most of the yookoohoos against each other. Used their penchant for vanity as a means to set off a kind of civil war. Following this war, the few surviving yookoohoos scattered. Only two were so resolute as to remain within Oz, and while they both live quite far from each other, they remain within the boundaries of the Gillikin Country to this very day."

"Who was the oth'r one?" Betsy asked.

"That would be Reera the Red." Locasta replied. "Reera, however, has mostly kept to herself, preferring solitude. As most gillikins know of the stories about her, and what she is capable of doing, they all stay away from that area, and she has never been any real trouble."

"Does she live by herself, though?" Betsy inquired.

"Oh, no. Not at all, in fact." Locasta answered. "Reera has several pets that she routinely cares for. Not the most wholesome of beasts, but pets nevertheless."

"Whereas Mrs. Yoop had _no one_ b'fore she met Woot." Betsy reasoned. "An' Woot lost his mom an' dad to th' Wicked Witch of th' East. They _need _each oth'r, an' Woot told me he's very happy livin' with Mrs. Yoop."

"Do you know that yookoohoos like Mrs. Yoop use an enchantment which channels a powerful sense of euphoria into their victims?" Ozma remarked. "Makes them more…agreeable."

"Yes, I know. She hit me with it, too, when we were there." Betsy replied. "But if she really wanted me t' stay, wouldn't I still be _there? _Instead o' here?" The Oklahoma girl stepped in closer to the fairy princess. "Ozma…I was there. You weren't. Okay…y' told me 'bout th' past. I get that. Y' say those yookoohoos were bad back _then, _but what about _now?_ B'sides…it's not like she pulled us into her home. We thought that castle was empty, so we went in t' get out o' that big ol' rainstorm we got caught in."

Ozma lowered her head and sighed. She was, after all, the one who generated those torrents of rain to begin with for agriculture's sake. Locasta glanced at Ozma, knowing this.

But Locasta had something else on her mind. "Be that as it may, I maintain that my own concern is for Mrs. Yoop's initiative alone. From what I know of yookoohoos, they don't exactly ask permission to change someone."

"Woot told me himself. He _likes _bein' a green monkey." Betsy reasoned. "He knows it makes Mrs. Yoop happy, an' he…well, y' could say he's got one o' those, uh…fost'rs."

Locasta arched an eyebrow, smiling a bit. "You think Mrs. Yoop would _want _to be a foster parent, Betsy?"

"Woot thinks so." Betsy countered. "An' I b'lieve him."

Ozma looked to the white-robed spellcaster. "As the Good Witch of the North, I think the decision should be yours, Locasta."

The old witch gave everything that she heard a long moment of quiet consideration, weighing out all the pros and the cons. She started to reach for her hat, knowing that she could change it into a slate which provided written advice, but Locasta decided against it, having a better idea.

She noted that Betsy looked very, very concerned for what the outcome would be. Ultimately, the Good Witch of the North figured that the judgment she was about to make would be as fair a response as she could come up with.

Locasta stepped up close to Betsy before sharing it. "Although I'm sure you understand that we cannot neglect what happened in the past, Betsy, I also trust your own convictions and I very much appreciate you sharing them with us. Two years ago, something which had been stolen from me was found. It's a mirror which, while not as powerful as Ozma's Magic Picture, provides the same benefit. I can see anyone or anything anywhere, at any time, providing I know the name. Whoever is being watched would have no knowledge that they _are _being observed. That is exactly what I am going to do with Woot and Mrs. Yoop. I'm going to observe their time together on a daily basis for about a week, maybe two. If I see anything that is not entirely benign or peaceful, I hope you will understand that we may want to take action to end the association, Betsy."

"You understand, too, that there is always the possibility that Glinda will find out about this as well." Ozma then warned. "She particularly dislikes transformation magic. If she finds out what happened to Woot, and trust me when I say that she could, she may not be as forgiving."

Betsy lowered her head a little. It wasn't the kind of response she was hoping for, but she figured that Woot would at least have someone making sure he would be safe. As much as she wanted to say something about her promise to Mrs. Yoop, she kept quiet about it. Betsy had to remind herself, anyway, that it was not because of _her_ that their privacy had been compromised.

She still hoped, for her own sake, that there would be no trouble.

Seeing Betsy's reaction, Ozma stepped over to the Magic Picture. "Show me Mrs. Yoop."

All eyes in the room turned to the picture once the neutral image dissolved, and then sharpened an image of Mrs. Yoop. She was in her study, by herself, reading a book. Upon the spine of the book were the words _The Picture of Dorian Gray_.

"Heh. Fitting choice of literature for a yookoohoo." Locasta mused.

"Magic Picture…" Ozma then remarked. "…show me Woot."

They next saw the green monkey Woot had become swinging and running about throughout the castle. Just as Betsy had said, he looked quite content, and he had no sense of despair on his simian face whatsoever.

Ozma nodded as they watched him move about. "This is…promising. Usually, when you've been hit by a yookoohoo's euphoric effect, they just sort of drift. Woot doesn't look like he's under the influence of that magic."

Locasta nodded in agreement. "It may be just as Betsy says, your highness. I'll still be watching them for a week, but if I see moments similar to this one in that time, then I am prepared to consider leaving the both of them to their mutual contentment."

Ozma rendered the picture neutral with a wave of her hand. "Very well, Locasta. I will defer to your wisdom on this matter."

The Good Witch of the North turned to Betsy. "Please trust that it is because of our past history with the yookoohoos that it must be this way, Betsy dear. I, for one, greatly hope that you are ultimately proven correct in your beliefs."

Betsy nodded despite her obvious worries. "So do I, Locasta."

"Should matters prove otherwise, we will do what we can to see that you are protected." Ozma assured. "Even if I have to have Glinda herself see to your safety."

Betsy bowed respectfully. "Thank you, your highness."

Ozma dismissed them both, and Betsy returned to Hank, who was still waiting outside. Mounting the mule, the Oklahoma girl was lost in thought as her steed began clopping towards the Winkie Country at a casual pace. She could not help but worry not only for Woot and Mrs. Yoop, but also the situation she and Hank had witnessed involving the witches.

There was something about the visitor, Krewl, that she just didn't trust. She shared this much with Hank as they continued their progress towards the tin palace.

"I guess only time will tell, Betsy." was Hank's response to the Oklahoma girl's concerns.


	12. XII: Those Silly, Crazy Munchkins

**XII: Those Silly, Crazy Munchkins**

It had been far too long a time since Jinjur had last been at her home. For once, she did _not_ want to head back to the barracks, where she had practically lived since Ozma had made her the Master General Commander. Inheriting the spacious portion of the barracks that Belay had made for himself during his time as the MGC, it quite literally became her home away from home.

On her way back from Dorothy's place, however, she passed the barracks rather than enter it, informing Sgt. Finch…who was on watch duty…that she was actually going back to her own home for once.

Predictably, the interior of the house was more than a little dusty, having been left idle for a fairly long period of time. Nearly a year, in fact. The only time she had returned home following her promotion to MGC was when she came up with the idea of using her home for a military drill.

Jinjur found it necessary to return, however, as she was once again pondering her retirement, now that she had the means to justify it.

_"__You silly, crazy munchkin." _Jinjur remembered the words clearly. _"I wish things were different."_

Sitting at a table near her home's kitchen area, she pulled what Dorothy had given her…the small vial containing the drops from the Wellspring of Ages…and the munchkin soldier began to lose herself in the past.

* * *

_Fyter was gone. The gillikin husband-and-wife team who had been helping them through many an attempt at staging rebellions and protests were gone. _

_All they had to provide a defense were the munchkin soldiers, and they dared not go against a foe who was a very powerful sorceress._

_As had been done many times before, Auntie Lo had offered up her home for use as a shelter, if not a place where munchkins could come up with plans of action. Conveniently, it had a secret space below the house which was large enough to hold meetings in. Fyter particularly liked to make use of it in his rallies._

_But after many years of misfortunes and failures and crippling setbacks, what was left, Jinjur thought? What remaining hopes could the munchkins possibly cling to? She could certainly sympathize with those who felt that any and all options had been exhausted. That they should, as a whole, just accept that any real dream of making any progress by way of an organized resistance against the Wicked Witch of the East would always be an exercise in futility._

_She was amazed that Boq, after having convinced him to try and keep everyone's spirits up in all those years, still held out hope. Jinjur expected his resolve to crumble within weeks when the idea was initially proposed to have him try and maintain resilience among the oppressed munchkins. Somehow, however, the man was making progress._

_Always wearing his full green formal outfit, and always getting behind any and all efforts to raise morale, Boq had developed from his uncertain beginnings to become one of the strongest bastions of munchkin self-esteem since the previous mayor stood firm in his refusal to submit to the regime of the East Witch._

_And how horribly THAT mayoral tenure had ended. In the middle of a most impassioned and inspiring speech, the former mayor suddenly writhed and groaned, portions of his body swelling and deforming. His eyes grew larger and changed color to a horrible yellow. A bladed tail had formed from a thick growth of skin emerging from his posterior, and his small body had bristled with raw muscular mass as his skin turned a sickly shade of green. Jinjur had suffered terrible wounds from this monster before the Wicked Witch of the East herself finally destroyed it, and this after the creature that used to be their mayor had killed more than a handful of munchkins._

_And the East Witch claimed she did it out of sympathy, too. Both Boq and Jinjur knew better, as did their supporters._

_But now, Munchkinland was without a mayor, and it had been warned that if another mayor emerged to take the place of the last one, millions more would suffer._

_It was Jinjur, however, who suggested that a "secret" mayor be ordained, and Boq became the clear choice despite others bravely coming forward to volunteer for such a distinction. Even after it was announced that Boq was the effective Mayor of Munchkinland, they all stood clear of him, fearing that he too would become some horrible beast at any moment._

_Jinjur wondered if the suit he always wore were somehow enchanted in some way. It was always clean, and always free of wrinkles and defects. At no point did Boq feel frightened of such a transformation happening to him, either. She had wondered if he were making an attempt to hide such fears from the others, so that their spirits would remain strong._

_Or was there more to Boq than his humble ways? Was there truly a fighting spirit beneath that gentlemanly demeanor that she had unknowingly tapped? Although Boq was never a violent man in any sense of the word, he seemed to be demonstrating the benefits of raw charisma and spirituality. He had even presided over weddings that were performed without the occurrence of any sudden calamities wrought by their cruel witch-ruler._

_And on occasions where the witch DID confront them all, no one gave him up as their secret mayor. Partially because with Auntie Lo's help, any and all spies and infiltrators…all of whom were promised immunity from her tyranny…were exposed by Jinjur herself. A couple of those spies were even revealed to be the other mayoral candidates who had no faith whatsoever in Boq._

_Jinjur's memories fixated on one of the last days of the East Witch's tyranny. She was with Boq beneath Auntie Lo's home, along with a couple of frightened munchkins, when they heard the familiar knock of the Munchkinland militia, which had been established by Captain Fyter prior to his apparent defeat._

_General Belay stood waiting outside the passage when Auntie Lo opened it._

_"__Good morning, Auntie." The portly Belay greeted as the kind old munchkin woman led him over to the center of the subterranean space. When the General saw Boq, Belay approached him._

_Jinjur stepped over to listen in as Belay spoke. "Your honor…my men are at their wit's end. Seeing as how we have no real magic power at our disposal to be able to overcome the might of our oppressor, the regiments have taken a vote and…"_

_"…__and they will stand their ground regardless of their vote." Jinjur immediately interrupted, stepping over to confront the munchkin general. "You are a soldier foresworn to die, if necessary, to protect Munchkinland regardless of the costs. You should be __ashamed__ of yourselves for even considering such a vote to begin with."_

_"__And I suppose you have some great magical ability capable of withstanding her wrath, Jinjur?" Belay countered. "If you do, then by all means, demonstrate!"_

_"__I don't need some 'great magical ability' other than the natural resolve to defy that wicked old shrew to my last dying breath." Jinjur replied, her tone rock solid with conviction. _

_Belay then began to take a couple of steps away from Jinjur, distancing himself from the resilient munchkin soldier. He turned to the others in the room. "You all might want to keep a distance from this one. I fancy she may become a horrible monster at any minute!"_

_"__If I did, Belay, I'd hope you'd be my first kill." Jinjur once again closed the distance between her and the cowardly general. "But from what I understand, those witches were only able to do what they did to the former mayor because the East Witch had her sister's help."_

_"__Indeed." Boq rose from his seat. "Further, Jinjur's sources were also able to ascertain…at great risk, mind you…that the witch-sisters seem to be at odds with each other. Particularly for what the East Witch wears upon her feet. Were __you__ able to have any of your soldiers take such a risk, general? Or was it at __your__ suggestion that the men take a vote?"_

_Belay's eyes went wide with horror. "Boq…the only card we can possibly play at this point is __acquiescence__! There is no arguing this conundrum!"_

_Boq maneuvered around the table where he was sitting at and stood right in front of Belay with a __very__ stern glare. "I would sooner __die__ than acquiesce to a woman who quite literally regards my people as nothing more than mere toys, to be used and dispensed with as she sees fit." He then grabbed the larger man by the arms and pushed him against the closest wall in the passage. "Shall we put your fear to the test, Belay? Shall we see if we are being watched, so she can confer my predecessor's fate upon me?"_

_He was able to shove Belay right against the wall, much to Jinjur's surprise. She did NOT expect this from a mere socialite! Boq's face remained visibly angry as he continued to stare upon the clearly frightened general. "Tick-tock, Belay. You're a soldier. __Do__ something about this. Kill me, if you really think I am to share my predecessor's fate. Now is your chance!"_

_Jinjur looked worried now. "Boq…I…I think you've…"_

_"__General Jinjur, you are to destroy me however you can should I begin changing." The secret mayor then commanded. "Keep your eyes on me. I am putting this soldier's bravery to the test."_

_For five long and very tense minutes, the bodies in the subterranean passage looked frozen in place as they waited. Boq's angry eyes were on Belay. Everyone else's were on Boq._

_And in the entire time, only Jinjur's hand was on a weapon. The sword at her hip. She was ready to draw the moment he saw Boq's body begin to mutate._

_Everyone else had another concern, too. That the witch would choose someone else to apply her horrible magic to. That someone else would begin changing. One of the civilians down in the passage. Jinjur. Belay, even. In situations like this, it wasn't just one person's life at risk. It was every remaining man, woman, and child in Munchkinland facing punishment over an act of defiance._

_But nothing happened to the secret mayor._

_Nothing happened to anyone else, either._

_Boq finally released the now shaking munchkin general, dropping his arms down. "There will be no acquiescence, Belay. You will demonstrate this from this moment forward, or your rank shall be stripped from you."_

_Belay wiped his fear-formed sweat from his brow. "Permission to speak frankly."_

_Boq smirked. "We're all rebels here."_

_"__You are __insane__, sir." Belay angrily admitted. "You are not a rational man!"_

_"__I should hope not, Belay. We are not currently living in a climate where rational men can safely rule." Boq countered. "My predecessor was the most rational man in all of Munchkinland. Should I remind you what happened to him?"_

_Belay remained silent._

_"__Your honor…excuse the interruption…" Jinjur interjected. "…but I need to talk to you right now. Alone."_

_Boq nodded. "Of course, General Jinjur." He looked back to Belay. "Assuming there actually __was__ a vote, general, tell your men that the vote is being ignored. You are also to remind them of their duties as many times as it takes for them to accept it."_

_Following Jinjur over to the far end of the passage space, where they knew they would not be heard, the munchkin soldier turned to Boq. "Please don't do that again."_

_Boq's expression reflected his complete surprise. "I must protest, my dear General. Was I not in demonstration of values you yourself had taught me?"_

_"__With __others__, yes." Jinjur reasoned. "But not with…well…" She could not help but feel flustered now._

_Boq raised an eyebrow. "Not with __you__, eh? Tell me __why__ I must make such an exception."_

_Jinjur felt uncomfortable where they were standing. Although they had the benefit of others not being able to listen in for the moment, it was a narrow space, and she and Boq were very close together as they spoke._

_"__I even remember what you said about not betraying the fact that you have been coaching me." Boq added. "I have been very careful with my words since then. My actions should be no different, General."_

_Jinjur spoke through gritted teeth now. "I don't want to have to see that I was the cause of your __downfall__, Boq!" She grabbed the lapels of his green jacket. "You have no idea how much of a risk you just took! Any one of us could have been hit by a spell. You, me, Belay…"_

_"__I meant every word of what I said out there, General." Boq kept his voice quiet as he spoke. "You think I do not know that there are still skeptics among us who do not think that I am fit for the Mayor's job? I'm still not entirely convinced __myself__, Jinjur! But do you really want me to show such doubts __openly__? That would be positively catastrophic! No, Jinjur. My skin must remain as thick as I should hope you would want it to be."_

_How could Jinjur respond? She was at a loss. Her prodding had made a far more charismatic and resilient man than she could have ever expected of a popular socialite like Boq. Clearly, she had coached him to the point where he really could become a potent leader._

_But of all the lessons she had taught him, sacrifice was always the toughest, and she did not say too much of this when she was developing Boq's leadership skills, and for reasons she was not ready to openly admit to._

_Seeing as how, after all, Boq was an older man._

_But now, she knew that Boq had understood the power behind such a virtue._

_As Jinjur's wall was still up, she just shook her head, looking down. A frown was still on her face in her evident frustration. "You silly, crazy munchkin…"_

_Boq frowned at this response. "You make it sound like you would have preferred that I…"_

_Jinjur's head immediately rose, and a fierce expression was on her face. "NO." She raised an index finger towards him in emphasis. She then placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did fine. It's just…it's just __me__, I guess. You've come such a long way, and…I didn't want to see all that effort go to waste just because you wanted to, uh…impress me…no, no, that didn't sound…" she sighed irritably, apparently talking to herself. "…damn it, Jinjur…"_

_Boq placed a hand over the one at his shoulder, squeezing it tenderly. "Please relax, General. Honestly…it was not my intention to impress when I confronted Belay like that. I guess I just…went with it, so to speak, remembering what you had taught me."_

_Jinjur looked back up at Boq thoughtfully, and then moved her hand from the secret mayor's shoulder to the back of his neck, rubbing it as she spoke. _

_"__Go with it more often." A smile then formed on Jinjur's lips. "You're getting really good at it."_

_Boq smiled back. "I will always have you to thank for that, General."_

_Jinjur's smile widened as she continued to hold Boq's gaze. "You silly, crazy munchkin."_

_Her other arm then slipped around Boq's torso as she brought him into a tight, warm hug, much to Boq's surprise. He did not expect such a gesture from the munchkin soldier, and his own arms wrapped around Jinjur's back when he realized she was lingering the hug in an inescapably affectionate manner._

_"__I wish things were different." Boq heard Jinjur say._

_"__Better times will come again, my dear." Boq softly replied. "Dark clouds can only linger for so long."_

_Unbeknownst to Boq, however, the suffering of the munchkins was not what Jinjur had on her mind when she spoke those words._

* * *

Belay's behavior since that embrace did not improve, despite Boq's bravado. He had effectively fortified Jinjur's wall through his constant efforts to discredit the female munchkin soldier for the crime of being a female munchkin soldier.

Obviously, things were radically different now. Belay had ironically become a friend. She suspected that his involvement in the brief takeover of the Emerald City two years ago…during which he had ended up in the form of a fat pig through the wicked magic of Ugu's bewitched servant, Mombi…might have had something to do with the former Master General Commander's change of heart.

As Jinjur continued to stare at the small vial, she continued to think on those words she had uttered as she embraced Boq.

_I wish things were different._

And now, here, in between her fingers, was an opportunity for things to be different between her and Boq. No longer would there be a necessary barrier. At long last, her walls could come down.

Jinjur figured she'd have a little fun flaunting her maturity if she made the decision to use the vial's contents. Show off the fact that she had grown. Perhaps even stir up a bit of jealously among those who might have had an interest in Boq.

More recent words Jinjur had spoken came to mind as she thought of this.

_I think being as old as he is…and being __with__ him…would be the kind of crazy adventure I might just find appealing._

Words spoken to the munchkin girl who was once a human from Kansas, and the one who had surrendered the means for things to be different between Jinjur and Boq to her, incredible as it was.

How did it work, Jinjur thought? What was it that Dorothy had said? Drink the vial, and then get a full night's sleep.

As it was still the early afternoon, she had a little more time to ponder her decision.

Jinjur had a very strong feeling, however, that given the way she currently felt, tomorrow was going to be a very unique day for the Master General Commander.

* * *

"Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground there, that's right…"

Nick and Nimmie stood before an old oak tree outside of the tin palace grounds, and on the other side of the bridge leading up to it. In the beautiful munchkin woman's hands was an axe, which she was currently being instructed in using as effectively as possible to cut wood, as Nick had once done.

Nimmie had made the decision to have her cottage relocated to a large space within the walls of the tin palace, but the level of magic required demanded Glinda's attention. Knowing she was training Oscar Diggs in the use of magic, Nick had arranged to have her stay in one of the palace's guest rooms until Glinda was available to help.

The winkie emperor now helped with the positioning of the axe, which was resting on Nimmie's shoulder. "…now you'll want to have a nice, tight grip on the axe handle. Every whack on that tree is going to add a bit of strain to the hands, and you don't want to drop it."

"If only I had a pair of tin arms…eh, Nicholas?" Nimmie mused, smiling.

"Well, with repetition, the strain isn't so bad. Just something to get used to." Nick reasoned, smiling back. He returned the subject to Nimmie's first effort. "Now you'll want to keep full concentration on a single point on the tree. A point you'll be biting deeper and deeper into with every strike of the axe."

"And the single point is…my first cut?" Nimmie asked.

"Mm-hmm! About two or three cuts should be enough for you to establish an impression in the wood visible enough to concentrate on. Every blow of the axe should hit the same area." Nick replied. "This tree is not very thick and not too tall, so I figured you could start with this and work your way up to the bigger ones as you get better and better at it."

"Hmph. A junior tree." Nimmie huffed. "I thought you were gonna give me one of the _bigger _ones."

Nick shrugged. "If you really wanted to try that, I should warn you that it may take you a lot of time before…"

Nimmie giggled. "I'm _kidding,_ Nicholas. This tree is fine. It's my first time doing this, and you're right. I need to work my way up, so to speak."

Nick nodded. "Just remember…this is _your _idea."

"I know. I'm sure my arms are going to remind me about it afterwards." Nimmie then positioned herself as Nick had taught her, and then tightened her grip on the axe once again. Picking a point for the blade to bite into, she fired the axe upon it with as strong a swing as her munchkin body could manage.

A 'thud'…the distinct sound of an axe striking the side of a tree…was the result. Nimmie returned the axe to her shoulder as Nick watched. Her eyes locked on the tree's wound, and she swung the axe towards it again. The impacts, just as Nick had mentioned, did not feel pleasant at all, but the emperor reminded her that repetition would offset such concerns. Nimmie swung a third time, and the axe bit further into the first two cuts.

Nick nodded in his appraisal. "Okay…you'll want to space out the cuts. See if you can widen the cutting area so it will be easier for you to concentrate on it. Don't feel bad if you miss the area, too. My first few hits when I first started out struck everything _but _the area I wanted to cut."

As Nick continued to instruct Nimmie, the hungry eyes of a bold pack of predators unique to the land of Oz stared upon the munchkin woman. Concealing themselves in the bushes and among the trees within the nearby forest edge, six of the beasts…which had the heads of tigers and the bodies of bears…split off from the others, working their way around to a different spot from which to approach their chosen prey. They moved as quietly as possible as they continued to gaze hungrily upon the woman with the axe.

Nimmie swung the axe a fourth time, and a fifth, always remembering what she had been told. One cut went wild, biting above the previous three, and the fifth widened the width of the tree's wound. At this point, Nimmie lowered the axe, and gave her hands a moment's rest.

It was then that Nick heard the growls as the beasts observing them began approaching them. He lifted his own jewel-encrusted axe and assumed a defensive stance. "Nimmie…we've got company. Stay close to me."

Once Nimmie spotted the beasts, she also assumed a defensive stance. "Be careful, Nick. Just one of those kalidahs can bite a man in half." She whispered.

"I'll try to keep them occupied." Nick positioned himself protectively in front of Nimmie as the kalidahs tried maneuvering around them. "You should get to the palace and alert the Pri…"

Two of the kalidahs, issuing a loud roar of challenge, lunged for Nick. With as strong a swing as he could manage, he swatted one of the beasts to the side as the second screeched its claws against the tin plating of Nick's torso.

Nimmie and the winkie emperor found themselves facing off against a pack of six, all of them growling hungrily. Three of them had their eyes on Nick, while the other three were licking their chops as they lingered their hungry gazes on Nimmie.

One of these three leaped at her, only to be swatted away by a strong swing of Nick's axe. The weapon's blade bit deeply upon the head of the second, provoking the jewels to flash once. The wound glowed for a moment as this particular kalidah retreated.

Such was the magic of the pacifist emperor's enchanted axe: upon inflicting a killer blow, the axe's magic would flash a forbearance effect upon aggressive animals such as the kalidahs through the wound, which would magically heal as the affected beast retreated. Another attacking kalidah was similarly struck in its back, forcing its retreat before a third lunged upon Nick and sent him to the ground.

Nick had jammed the handle of the axe in the creature's mouth, and the kalidah tried clamping it shut in an effort to break it, but the axe's handle had been infused with fortification magic as well, and Nick was able to wrest his weapon from the creature's mouth, kicking the beast away from him.

He then heard a horrible scream.

_It was Nimmie's voice!_

His eyes wide with shock, he rose from the ground and looked around for his beloved. She was _not _behind him!

Nick's blows were furious now. The kalidahs had forced the otherwise benevolent emperor to snap. His punches and his kicks were as hard as they could be as he attacked the kalidahs. His axe swings forced two more into submission…

…but this was not a pack of six. It was more like a pack of _twelve, _minus the four that Nick's axe had routed. The eight remaining kalidahs continued to leap in and take a swipe…or a bite…at the angry tin emperor. Gashes were now marking up Nick's tin body as the attacks persisted.

As two of them managed to bring the battered emperor to the ground once again, he finally heard the sounds of approaching horses, and a strong voice roared. "FOR THE EMPEROR!"

With so many armored men rushing towards them, only two of the remaining kalidahs stood their ground as they faced the incoming relief effort while the other beasts fled. Two blows from Nick's enchanted axe, however…one for each…forced them into retreat as well.

Once the men were able to get Nick back on his feet, he immediately shouted a command. "_FIND NIMMIE!_"

With the men aware that Nick was not alone when he left the palace, the search was on. Checking tracks and any evidence they could find, they examined the battle area…and any trails…as best they could. Many of the mounted men stepped off their horses in the effort to find Nick's missing friend.

As the men began their search, another familiar face clopped in out of concern for his friend. Betsy leaped off of Hank's back and rushed over to Nick. "What _happen'd?_"

An armored soldier diverted to answer the young Oklahoma girl. "Kalidahs, Miss Bobbin. Ferocious beasts. The emperor is battered, but fine. We are looking for Nimmie at the moment."

"Hank, follow me!" Betsy called out to the mule. "We've gotta find Nimmie!"

An armored soldier ran towards Nick. He held two objects he had found in both of his hands. One of these hands pointed in a northern direction as he spoke. "Tracks lead in this direction, my emperor." He held up the two objects. "I found this, as well."

When Betsy ran up close enough to get a good look, she saw that they were two portions of an axe. The wood had been broken in the middle.

Betsy, fearing the worst, rushed in the direction the soldier indicated as fast as she could. Moving through the woods for about a minute, she finally saw a small circle of soldiers surrounding something.

The Oklahoma girl's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes boggling in horror as she gasped, when she saw what they were looking down upon.

They had found Nimmie.

Her clothes were horribly torn up, and one of her eyes…upon which a vicious scratch had been inflicted…was fluttering uncontrollably. Nimmie moaned quietly as she laid there, breathing slowly.

What horrified Betsy even more was the fact that two of her limbs were missing. Her right arm, and her left leg had apparently been bitten off.

The moist stumps, however, were not bleeding.

Betsy then looked up at the soldiers surrounding her. "Why're y' jus' _standin' _there?"

"We are waiting for our emperor." One of the soldiers replied.

Fortunately, she heard Nick's voice cry out Nimmie's name, followed by the murmur of a group of men. The tin emperor rushed out ahead of them. Betsy, spotting Nick, waved him over.

Once he stood beside her, he knelt down in his utter lament. Betsy's eyes began to water upon seeing Nick's reaction.

"Please don't die, Nimmie." Betsy pleaded as Hank clopped next to her.

Nick turned his head to the Oklahoma girl. "Die? Nimmie isn't going to die, Betsy. We're in the land of Oz. No one dies here." He looked back down to Nimmie. "But she _is_ in terrible pain."

Betsy moved to kneel beside Nick, looking down at Nimmie, who seemed to be fighting the agony she was suffering from. Her viciously-mauled, but intact arm moved up so that the fingers of her bloodied hand could touch Nick's tin-plated face.

Nimmie tried to angle her head up, as well, angling it to Nick. "K…Ku…" she clearly struggled to speak the name as dizziness began to set in. "Kli…Klip…"

Her shaking hand then moved to Nick's breast, where his heart compartment was located. Her voice sounded weak. "Nnnni-cholaaaaaassss…"

The hand then dropped to the ground, and Nimmie's good eye closed.

Betsy saw that there was still breathing movement at her stomach, however.

One of the guards saw Betsy's initial reaction to this, and spoke in assurance. "She has only fainted, Miss Bobbin. The pain was too much for her."

Nick's head had lowered, and his eyes were shut. It pained him just as much to see Nimmie like this, although it would be far worse to see her suffer for the rest of her life as a result of this unexpected attack.

He lifted Nimmie's body in his arms, and began to head back towards the tin palace. The others followed behind him. A look of grim determination was on the emperor's face.

"Nick?" Betsy wiped her tears as she spoke. "Wh..what're y' gonna do?"

"What I _have _to do." Nick responded. "Once I get to the tin carriage."

"Can I come with you?" Betsy asked.

"No." Nick answered, shaking his head. "Not this time. This is between me, Ku-Klip, and Nimmie. I _refuse_ to have her suffer like this." He turned his head to the Oklahoma girl. "I'm sorry, Betsy."

He received a nod of understanding from his young friend. "I und'rstand…my emp'ror."

Betsy then re-mounted Hank, and followed the group back to the tin palace. They were also among the crowds that watched the tin carriage roll out as it began its journey to Ku-Klip's workshop an hour later.

Hank looked to his friend, who had a thoughtful expression on her face. "What's on your mind, Betsy?"

The Oklahoma girl turned her head to the mule. "I think I'm gonna stay here, Hank. I wanna be one of th' winkies."

Hank tilted his head to the side. "Don't y' think y' should be _born_ a winkie t' be one?"

A nearby winkie…an old man in a brown and yellow outfit…overheard this, and turned to offer a reply. "Nope. Anyone could be a recognized citizen of our country. All they'd need to do is go to the Prime Minister. You'd sign a ledger, and he'd ask you to start wearing yellow. You can be a citizen for as long as you wanted. If you didn't want to be a citizen anymore, just go to the Prime Minister, and he'll take you out of the ledger. Simple as that."

"What's it like t' be a winkie?" Betsy asked.

"Well, most of us work _very _hard on what we like to do when it comes to our trades." The old man explained. "The popular opinion among most people throughout Oz holds that we work about as hard…if not harder…than the munchkins."

"So…you _have _t' work t' be a winkie?" Betsy wondered aloud.

The old man shook his head. "Nope. Just have the Prime Minister add you to the ledger. When he tells you to wear yellow, it's not an order you have to follow. It's only advice. However you choose to live your life as one of us is entirely up to you, but we do have laws which particularly prohibit open cruelty of any kind. That, and being the unjustifiable cause of any sort of unavoidable death…such as being melted, or crushed by a house…is grounds for permanent banishment from our lands."

Betsy nodded as she listened. "An' where can I go t' get nice winkie dresses?"

The old man gave instructions as to where to go within the tin palace, suggesting a place within which a small group of tailors…who specialized particularly in making dresses for new citizens…could be found.

Betsy nodded, smiling. "Thank you for your help, sir." She then turned to her mule companion. "C'mon, Hank. I wanna surprise Nick when he comes back."

"Are y' sure you really wanna do this?" Hank asked as they walked side by side towards their destination. "Seems like a pretty big step."

Betsy turned her head to the mule, confused. "Why d' you ask, Hank? Did y' wanna go to anoth'r land?"

"Well…the quadlin's seem awful nice." Hank admitted. "They've got a real powerful sorceress protectin' them, an' there's a forest ruled by a brave lion. Least, that's what those handmaidens told me."

Betsy smirked, her hands on her hips. "_You _jus' wanna go back an' have more o' their food."

Hank lowered his head shamefully, confirming Betsy's deduction.

"C'mon…give th' winkie food a chance." Betsy reasoned. "They do have stables an' attendants here, an' I'm sure they're just as nice as Glinda's handmaidens."

"Okay, okay." Hank answered. "I'll go get a stable here once I drop you off at that tailor place."

* * *

Oscar Diggs looked particularly worried upon seeing what the kalidahs had done to Nimmie Amee as he viewed the image in the large crystal ball Glinda had acquired following the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. As much as Glinda assured him that Nimmie would not expire from her terrible wounds, to have to live with the pain of such wounds, and such potential disfigurements, was something he would not wish upon anyone.

"Can we not intervene, Glinda?" Oscar worriedly asked.

"From what we have heard of Nimmie's last wish before she lapsed into unconsciousness, it was her intention to perhaps have her missing limbs replaced with new ones by Ku-Klip, much as I would have advised otherwise." Glinda replied.

Oscar's eyes widened. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Ku-Klip is a tinsmith! If he were to make new limbs for Nimmie, that would mean she would have…"

Glinda raised a hand as she interjected, sounding a little displeased. "Yes, yes, I know. It is entirely possible that Nimmie Amee may become a tin _woman._" She sighed over this notion. "Seems fate may have dictated such a path for our dear friend, whether he had wanted it or not."

Oscar tilted his head curiously. "You don't sound very pleased. I would think that with Nick and Nimmie being of the same alloy, so to speak, their affections for each other would be all the stronger for it."

"There is one thing we can possibly divine from this occurrence, apprentice." Glinda motioned for Oscar to follow her to another room of her palace. "With everything we have been hearing about the erbs as of late, I want to know if those kalidahs had been deliberately sent."

"How are we going to do that?" Oscar asked, as they went into a large room surrounded by a variety of objects and unusual-looking items, some of which held Oscar's gaze for a moment before he was able to pry his gaze off of it.

Glinda approached one item in particular. It was a large hourglass, the bottom portion of which was filled with white sands. This, too, was once a keepsake of the Wicked Witch of the West, and a captured Dorothy Gale had watched the sands of this hourglass stream slowly down from the upper space to the lower one as Dorothy awaited her apparently imminent demise.

Taking hold of the surrounding hardwood casing in her youthful-looking hands, she turned to face her curious apprentice, presenting the hourglass as she spoke. "With this. As the dangerous sands of the desert that surrounds our lands demonstrate, the sand within this hourglass are receptors for magic as well. Particularly when the granules are in friction. There should be just enough here to provide us with the answers we seek."

"But…why not use your Great Book of Records?" Oscar asked.

Glinda smiled. "Because you are in training." She then twisted the bottom portion of the hourglass, and it appeared to unscrew at the center, the surrounding wooden posts separating at their midsections as Glinda twisted. "Did you think it would be _me_ who would generate images of the past using these granules? I think your grasp of concentration is good enough at this point to accomplish what you are about to attempt quite capably."

"But…if you're referring to the 'Sands of Time' spell, isn't that a ritual?"

"Its more advanced and…far more _dangerous_ application is a ritual, yes." Glinda responded. "But we are going to look into the recent activities of a single species, so a single wizard of your experience should be more than adequate. As I had shown you the basics of that spell's casting, feel free to commence when you are ready."

Oscar nodded, and then took a moment to breathe in, and breathe out, steadily. Just as Glinda had taught him. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all concerns, maintaining a steady breathing pattern, as the Good Witch of the South led him to a specific spot upon the open floor of the circular room they were in. Although the old man had seen some of the exotic and wizardly designs upon the floor, he imagined it was for decorative purposes. The circle upon the ground…which was surrounded by four smaller circles large enough for a pair of human feet to stand within them…surrounded what appeared to be painted representations of the four elements, which were as well-rendered as the most intricate and masterful paintings of Michelangelo himself.

Glinda had led Oscar to one of the surrounding circles…the southern one, in this case…and waited for him to open his eyes. The sorceress stood at the center of the room, ready to pour the sand upon the central portion of the circle.

When Oscar's lids finally re-opened, Glinda held up a hand in restraint. "Stay right where you are, apprentice. You are within a ritual circle, but you will be the only one upon a casting area. You must extend yourself, spiritually, unto the remaining circles before you surge your will unto the center of the circle. Keep up your breathing, and will your consciousness upon the remaining three circles. Believe that you can surround what shall be placed upon the center, and bring the four elements to life by virtue of your will."

Although it certainly seemed a bit preposterous to a mind unschooled in mystic practices, Oscar's travels as an entertainer and a magician…and in some cases, as a con man…had brought him before more than one spiritually-attuned acquaintance, and so he had attempted a means that had been explained to him by one such acquaintance.

_Thy will be as roaring fire_. Oscar's mind fixated upon those unspoken words, and one of the three empty circles began to glow with a bright orange light as a fiery semblance of Oscar Diggs roared to life within the circle.

"Good." Glinda whispered, smiling. "Very good."

_Thy will be as surging water._

Blue light now emanated upon a second circle, and a surge of water geysered up from the light, forming a watery likeness of Glinda's apprentice.

_Thy will be as raging air._

The final circle's sky blue glow preceded the appearance of a man-shaped twister, which of course had the appearance of Oscar Diggs in face and in body.

_By earth, wind, fire, and water, thy will be done._

Glinda poured the entire contents of the sand from the hourglass portion she held in her arms, knowing that Oscar had naturally aspected himself to the earth element. The granules of sand began to slowly whirl in place as the Good Witch of the South stepped away from the pile.

Oscar then raised his hands, as did his three semblances. "_Conscio KALIDAAAAH!_"

The painted semblances of the four elements beneath the sands now came alive. Clouds upon the air portion of the circle began to move, once stationary images of fires raged, waters became choppy and unsettled, and the earthen segment began to shake. The concentration of sand then began spinning around and about, faster and faster until the friction created a round portal within which a blur began to manifest.

"Open your eyes, apprentice." Glinda instructed, smiling in her satisfaction. "The effect you have generated will linger now. The sands will respond to your inquiries."

The blur sharpened as Oscar stepped off the circle, and a spectral image of an earthen semblance of the old man…as if he had been formed entirely from the soil…lingered upon the circle. The other elemental likenesses also remained as Oscar stepped over to where the sands were maintaining its circular friction.

Oscar spoke with a bold voice as he fixed his gaze upon the sands, hovering a hand over it. "Show us the recent activities of the kalidahs in the Winkie Country since the rise of this day's sun."

The images that sharpened into focus showed a pack of kalidahs roaming into the winkie territories. They stayed together, perhaps looking for something…or even someone…to eat.

At one point, however, they had stopped, and one of them stepped up towards…something, or someone, that did not show up in the image.

Oscar frowned, and Glinda rubbed at her chin, in their mutual puzzlement.

Fortunately, Oscar thought to try something different. He brought his hand over the image as his voice went bold once again. "Show me every…"

Glinda quickly grabbed the old man's wrist, smiling. "You don't need to do that, apprentice."

Oscar blushed. "Oh, sorry…" He returned his attention to the image, lowering his hand. "…show me everyone present in this field, at this time of the day."

Sure enough, a new image manifested, standing in front of the gathered kalidahs.

It was another kalidah, no different from the others.

Oscar arched an eyebrow, and Glinda's eyes closed. Such was her suspicion, which was now apparently confirmed. "I think we have seen enough, Oscar." With a sweeping arc of her hand, the manifestations of Oscar collapsed into thin air, and the sands stopped spinning, becoming an unmoving pile of sand once more. The painting images beneath it also neutralized.

The old man from Nebraska looked to Glinda. "A spy? Or…a saboteur?"

Glinda nodded. "A phanfasm. It had to be."

Hearing mention of the phanfasms…which his mentor had explained was a species among the unifyingly evil erbs…brought a curiosity to mind which Oscar had to satisfy. "Glinda…I wanted to ask you about them. The erbs, that is. If all living things have good and bad within them, don't you think the erbs would, as well?"

"Unfortunately, that is where the erbs are unique." Glinda answered. "Perhaps their very existence reminds us, as humans, of what we should avoid becoming. As you are no doubt aware, people do indeed have good and bad in them, and it is whatever urges they act upon the most that ultimately defines them. Doing good is usually a matter of discipline and hard work. To have a species which is entirely good might ultimately be bad for the envy they might bring about, so perhaps it is far more evident to have a balanced species which can go either way, rather than one which is always good. Whereas with the erbs, they are many species who must always accept, unconditionally, that they must always be bad…abandoning the principles of discipline and hard work, save in the formulation of plots to undermine benevolence…in an attempt to dominate the balance. Even if it means masquerading as something good. As the old saying goes, it is often more difficult to create than it is to destroy."

That brought another curious question to the mind of the inquisitive old man. "Can you admit to having made mistakes in the past, Glinda? Anything you went into with good intentions, which ultimately went bad?"

Glinda's gaze drifted downward. "Yes. I condemned a man and his…well-meaning people to live in a domain on the other side of the deadly desert. Someplace where they were never seen again."

Oscar frowned in confusion. "How were they well-meaning?"

Glinda brought her head back up. "Long ago, when the lands were divided between human settlements and animal domains, a group of humans under a very powerful wizard protested, feeling we had gotten the better lands, while the animals of Oz were given too little. They spoke out in defense of the animals, most of whom were content with King Pastoria's decision. Even when presented with potent logic, the wizard and his people were not satisfied."

Oscar nodded. "Did they do anything, perhaps, to make other people believe them? Take their side?"

"The wizard's people were nothing more than the voice of the wizard himself." Glinda recollected. "It was the _wizard _who attempted to make people see. One notorious case, which was later confirmed to be the result of this wizard's magic, was a Gillikin Country village called Simen. It was a completely benign village no different from the other human communities of the country. That quite nefariously changed, however, approximately five months following King Pastoria's decision. The people of Simen woke up one morning, and began behaving very strangely. Instead of walking on their own two legs, they were loping around. Scratching their heads, climbing about, chittering and screeching in an inhuman manner. Every man, woman, and child, no matter how young, no matter how old, began behaving like monkeys. Even though they looked like human beings in every respect."

"Dear me…the entire _town?_" Oscar looked bewildered at the thought. "How quickly was this discovered?"

"Visitors from other gillikin communities were obviously quick to notice what was wrong…but within a day or so, _they _suddenly lost interest, because they, too, began behaving like monkeys." Glinda replied. "I managed to find out that it was because a powerful magic artifact had been created, through which the wizard could see anything or anyone he wished, and he would be able to channel his magic through that artifact to affect the subject. For a time, _I _began to wonder if I would begin behaving in a simian manner."

"Did you?"

Glinda shook her head. "But I did confer with the King in the most magically discreet manner possible. Six communities full of gillikins had been reduced to behaving like monkeys by the time we had put a stop to it. When the wizard was brought before us, bound within a bubble through which he could not use his magic, he protested that his intention was never to harm the gillikins he had affected, but merely to remind us that we…humans, that is…were all monkeys once, and no different from the animals he and his people supported."

"Well, if _that _was his thinking, then he's very much the hypocrite." Oscar surmised aloud.

"Not to the wizard." Glinda countered. "By his insistence, the human and the monkey are two different species, separated only by what he called the 'curse of evolution'. He even blamed an ancient witch for inflicting such a curse upon monkeys a very long time ago, but this has never been proven."

Oscar nodded in acknowledgement. "So the wizard was banished?"

"Beyond the desert, yes." Glinda answered. "It was…that we never saw them again that has made my guilt endless. It was as if they were all swallowed whole. You see, Mr. Diggs…the decision as to where to banish them to was left to me."

"But if you didn't do this, this wizard would have made monkeys out of _everyone _in Oz!" Oscar reasoned. "Just to get people to agree with him! Something else strikes me as odd, too, if I may be so bold. You say that the wizard's people were an extension of the wizard's voice. Well, that sounds to me like he used his magic to enslave them to his will, don't you think?"

Glinda nodded. "I…did confirm, through the Great Book of Records, that it was because of a smattering of protests among his people regarding what he was doing to the gillikins that he had used more powerful magic to bind everyone to his desires, and prevent further protest."

"Well? There ya go!" Oscar threw up his hands in emphasis, a bright expression on his face. He then brought his arms down as his expression went thoughtful. "Still…I would imagine it would have been prudent to break the spell this wizard had on his people before they were all banished."

"Oh, but this was no mere mass mesmerism. This was a _binding _enchantment. Far more powerful." Glinda countered. "For it to work, everyone would have to agree with the caster in some manner. In this case, it was their mutual respect and support for animals. Binding enchantments can be broken only within weeks of the application. The wizard had them all bound to him for over a month."

"He would have engineered a far worse reign of terror were it not for you, Glinda." Oscar firmly remarked. "As far as _I'm_ concerned, you did no wrong."

But Glinda turned away from Oscar, even as she was nodding in confirmation. "If you say so, apprentice." She quietly replied.

There was, of course, more to the story than Glinda was willing to share, and she did not speak any further upon it. She did not speak of those moments Glinda and this wizard had shared together. She did not speak of the wild enchantments the wizard had mastered which allowed a human form to become something completely different, whether that human wanted it or not.

She did not speak of her complete reluctance to condemn a man she had once felt very deeply for.

A man who had gone so horribly wrong.

A man who was now, in truth, no longer a man.

He was a monster, and one no different from the rest of the erbs.

* * *

Down in the subterranean space of her home, Dorothy Gale gazed thoughtfully around the area she had used as a makeshift classroom during the two years she had spent as a tutor with the Learning Guild. Two years in which she had learned a great deal, even as she was acting as educator to little Tula.

A part of her, as Dorothy had naturally expected, did not want to let it go.

Still, despite Philomena's urgings to consider otherwise, it started becoming more and more apparent to her that if she were to remain among the people who regarded her a national hero _as _one of them, Dorothy could only _be _one of them, and no more important than the average citizen of Munchkinland.

There was an odd comfort in that thought, too…but she would be alone. She knew she had already, effectively, given up a future with Boq, and she was content in the knowledge that this was for the best, and for reasons she herself had made apparent.

Even if Jinjur ultimately decided that she, too, was better off alone, Dorothy would not want to see the small vial returned to her. She preferred life as a young girl, and she knew that the realm-wide enchantment Ozma's mother had laid upon the land of Oz would ensure that.

There was also the matter of Oscar Diggs not knowing she had returned to Oz. She had no desire, for that matter, to engage in any kind of silly masquerade where she pretended to be a munchkin who just happened to have the same name as Dorothy. If he was worried about the well-being of the lost Kansas girl he had tried…with his customarily good intentions…to get home safely at all, she should reunite with him in a much more physically recognizable fashion.

It then occurred to her that there was one thing she needed to do before she would return to Ozma with the desire to be restored to her human form…

…but Toto's wild barking above her interrupted this line of thinking. She also heard a bit of bickering from two distinct voices she recognized. A male and a female voice. She heard a third she did not recognize, as well.

"Put me _down, _honey-bunch!" came the female voice, which she recognized to be Scraps, as Dorothy ascended the stairs.

"Why? So you could race off and keep your nasty little secret from Dorothy? No chance!" came the male voice, which she knew was the Scarecrow, as the round-bodied munchkin advanced to the door, Toto following alongside her.

"Dear me…I hope my little slip-of-the-mouth hasn't made you think less of me, Scraps!" came the unrecognizable voice as the Scarecrow began rapping at the door.

Upon pulling the door open, Dorothy saw the Scarecrow holding the patchwork girl in her arms with a tight grip as Scraps flailed her stuffed arms and legs helplessly in the royal advisor's grip, only stopping and looking to the little munchkin with a sweet smile once Dorothy appeared at the front door.

Behind them both was a tall humanoid figure which seemed to be made of thin, but somehow fortified wooden sticks. He wore a fairly elegant outfit which brought Professor Wogglebug's taste in fine clothing to mind, and his head was a large, healthy-looking pumpkin with the customary triangular openings that gave him eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

The Scarecrow smiled down upon Dorothy once she appeared. "Good evening, Dorothy."

"Dorothy?" The pumpkin-headed man interjected curiously. "She doesn't _look _like the same girl we saw as a statue in the Emerald City."

"Well…she is, and…she isn't, Jack." The Scarecrow replied. "I'll need to tell you the story sometime, but this _is _the same Dorothy Gale."

"Don't you think she looks like a natural born munchkin, Jack?" Scraps asked. "She'd look even better as an _adult _munchkin."

"Enough of that, Scraps." The Scarecrow scolded. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until you confess!"

Dorothy raised both of her chubby hands. "Could someone please tell me what's going on?"

Jack was the first to speak. "Well…the royal advisor is being a bit of a ruffian today, but he _insists _his cause is just."

"Only because _you _had to open your big mouth, Pumpkinhead." Scraps griped.

"I'm sorry, Dorothy…but this couldn't wait. Jack, close the door behind us." The trio stepped into the house, and the pumpkin-headed man did as he was asked. "Scraps has something to tell you. Seems she's been paying secret visits to the Mayor of Munchkinland when she wasn't eavesdropping on you."

Dorothy frowned in her curiosity as she looked to Scraps. "Why would you do that?"

"Oh, come on, Dorothy. Don't play dumb. You've been a munchkin for two years, and you can't say it was a tough life to lead, can you?" Scraps then flailed her limbs in a particularly wild manner. "WILL YOU _PUT ME DOWN,_ PLEASE?"

The Scarecrow finally relented, lowering Scraps to her feet. He kept his wary eyes on her once she was upright.

Scraps nodded in her relief. "Thank you."

Predictably, Scraps immediately turned to the door, but not only did the Scarecrow grab her, Toto growled as he bit upon her patchwork quilt skirt, pulling so as to keep her from reaching the door behind her.

"Oh! Bad dog! You'll rip her dress!" Jack wailed distressfully. "Please be careful!"

The stuffed arms of the patchwork girl were pinned to her sides as the Scarecrow held her fast. He then turned her back towards Dorothy. "You've gotta tell her sooner or later, Scraps…and I demand that it be sooner!"

"But she's not even a patchwork girl anymore, honey-bunch!" Scraps whined. "I did it so we could _all _be happy! You, me, Dorothy…Boq…"

Dorothy gasped in her visible shock, realizing what the patchwork girl was hinting at. "You were there when Ozma and I were talking about Boq, weren't you?"

"Oh, she knew far more about the situation between you and Boq, Dorothy." The Scarecrow revealed. "Seems she's been Boq's personal advisor on how to win your favor."

Dorothy remained slack-jawed over these revelations, slowly turning away with the same expression as Scraps continued to wriggle in the Scarecrow's arms.

"Oh, don't be so pouty about it, Dorothy!" Scraps protested. "You liked him, he liked you, and Ozma gave you a way you could both be happy without worrying about your being younger than him. Just take that little potion and go back to him! Happily ever after, living a life you can't deny enjoying!"

"That's up to Dorothy!" The Scarecrow yelled. "Not _you, _Scraps! Why, I'm just about convinced that I should never see you again!"

But an unexpected sound came from where Dorothy was standing, and shaking.

It was the sound of sweet laughter.

The heads of Jack, Scraps, and the Scarecrow turned to the little munchkin as she laughed and laughed, almost stumbling to the ground in doing so. She eventually regained enough composure to turn around and face her three friends once again, this time with a smile on her pudgy face.

Her eyes, logically, settled on Scraps as she spoke. "I have to admit, it was one heck of a scheme. Even Aunt Em thought we'd be a good match. Practically gave me her blessings to marry him, too. You didn't give Boq any advice on how to impress my Aunt and Uncle, did you?"

Scraps shook her head, while the Scarecrow was already visibly wondering what Dorothy was getting at.

"I'm sure Auntie Em would have told me otherwise, Scraps." Dorothy continued. "But if this whole scheme was brought on by any kind of jealousy, you shouldn't be feeling jealous at all. I'm not a patchwork girl anymore, and I don't think I ever will go back to being one, even if I wanted to."

The Scarecrow released the patchwork girl as he softly spoke to her. "Scraps…that whole affair was the result of a wicked enchantment laid upon Dorothy by a gillikin witch named Mombi. When we defeated her, Glinda made her drink a potion which made it impossible for her to use magic. When we came together as we did, we wanted to show that what Mombi did was a _big_ mistake, and in the end? It really did prove to be her undoing."

"But that doesn't make sense, honey-bunch." Scraps reasoned. "Why would she change Dorothy like that? Why would she make her something she must have known would make you_ happy?_"

"Because as a witch, it would have been easier for her to destroy us both." Dorothy reasoned. "Just like the Wicked Witch of the West tried to do to the Scarecrow when we were in her castle. If Mombi knew we were conspiring against her, she would have fried one of us…or _both_ of us…to a crisp with magic fireballs."

"And if she roasted one, she knew it would certainly affect the other." The Scarecrow added. "If she destroyed me, though, I don't think my death would have as much of an impact upon the land compared to her being able to destroy Dorothy. I'm not a national hero, after all."

Scraps finally nodded in her understanding. "That's true…" Although there was one more card she had left to play in her scheme. "…well, it wouldn't matter now, right? I mean…you still have that potion, don't you? Under your dress? Come on! I think you should drink it down right now and head right on over to…"

Scraps froze, her face comically locked in mid-explanation, as Dorothy shook her head. Even the Scarecrow looked a bit wide-eyed in his surprise.

"I gave the vial to someone else, Scraps." Dorothy revealed. "Someone who has known Boq for a longer period of time compared to me. Someone who, believe it or not, had been thinking of retiring from military service."

The Scarecrow smiled, knowing exactly who Dorothy was referring to. "And I have a feeling they're both gonna be _very _happy together."

Seeing that Scraps was still frozen in place, Dorothy just shrugged, smiling meekly. "Sorry, Scraps." She then turned to Jack and offered a polite curtsey. "I'm Dorothy Gale. Your name is…Jack, was it?"

He nodded his large head, and then offered a polite bow of his own. "Jack Pumpkinhead, son of my mother, the Princess Ozma."

Dorothy's eyes widened as she gasped. "You were created by Ozma? Then…your head must be the pumpkin I gave her!"

"That certainly explains why he's got such a good head on his shoulders!" The Scarecrow added, smiling.

"Really? This pumpkin was _yours? _Dear me!" Jack looked a little concerned now. "You don't want it back, do you?"

Dorothy giggled at this. "Of course not, Jack. Keep it for as long as you like."

"Until it goes bad, at least." Jack reasoned. "Or until the seeds go bad. Mother tells me they're the reason I'm so smart. Well…according to her, at least."

All eyes turned to Scraps now, and she was of course still frozen in place. Still shocked to learn that her scheme had ultimately failed.

"Um…Scraps?" The straw-stuffed advisor waved the stuffed glove of his hand in front of the coat buttons that were her eyes. "Earth to Scraps? Is anyone there?"

Her shoulders then drooped, and Scraps now had a moody expression on her patchwork face.

"Awww, don't be so pouty about it, Scraps." The Scarecrow reasoned, using the patchwork girl's own words. "Why don't you take Jack on over to that poppy field? You know…the place where you like to take me? It's the only thing I don't think I've shown him as of yet." He then looked to Jack, hoping for a bit of support.

Thankfully, Jack caught on. "Oh! Well…I don't think I've ever seen a poppy field before. If you know where it is, my dear Scraps, why don't you take me?"

Despite her still looking pouty, and despite her shoulders still drooped down, Scraps turned towards the door and grabbed Jack's arm as she moved. "Come on, let's go, Pumpkinhead." Scraps huffed, pulling the pumpkin-headed man out of the house once she had the door open. From the front window of the house, they watched Scraps and Jack board a taxi and ride out of Munchkinland. Dorothy then turned and stepped away from the window thoughtfully as the Scarecrow's eyes followed her.

"That must have been hard for you to do." The Scarecrow mused. "To give up that vial. I think you made the right decision, though."

"I would have been nothing more than a socialite's wife." Dorothy turned to her stuffed friend. "I think there's more to me than just…gossiping all the time. I can't be the Ministress anymore, I gave that up. I surrendered the title to Philomena."

The Scarecrow tilted his head curiously. "Really? But…why? Don't you _like _being an educator?"

"The Wizard helped Professor Wogglebug and Glinda to create a new means of educating people." Dorothy explained. "They're called 'School Pills'. The Professor figured it could balance out mental development with physical development more effectively."

The straw-stuffed advisor's eyes widened in his bewilderment. "Is this…something being created, or…?"

"The Professor tested them in front of us using Sprog, that horrible munchkin boy." Dorothy explained. "They really do work. Now, the entire educational curriculum is being overhauled. There won't be any more need for tutors, so the guild is more or less going to disband."

The Scarecrow nodded in understanding. "Well, I hear you've become a pretty good cook."

Dorothy giggled at this. "Betsy certainly thinks so." Her expression went thoughtful again as she sighed. "But as much as I've grown to enjoy this life I've led for the past two years, I think it may be time I re-joined the human race, so to speak."

The Scarecrow nodded again. "Good call. It would certainly make Oscar happy that you're in Oz now. We told him you made it back to Kansas safely."

"I can hardly wait to see the look on his face when he sees me back to my old self again." Dorothy mused, smiling in her anticipation. "I just have to figure out what I'm gonna do with the house. There's also one other thing I want to do before I put all this behind me. I don't suppose you could join me?"

The Scarecrow frowned curiously. "What did you have in mind?"

Once Dorothy told him, the straw-stuffed advisor nodded in full understanding. Taking Toto with them, they stepped aboard a taxi and began a journey to the Munchkinland locale Dorothy specifically wanted to go to.

She just hoped, with the day waning, that there would be time enough to get what Dorothy wanted.

* * *

"Well, here it is." Scraps swept her arm out towards the poppy fields around them both. "Poppy fields."

Her voice sounded unhappily neutral as she spoke. She could not help but feel miserable that her perfect plan had been foiled. As much as Scraps wanted to blame Jack for playing the biggest part in her failure, there were variables that had occurred which defeated her nevertheless. Particularly that of Dorothy surrendering the all-important vial to Master General Commander Jinjur.

Jack looked around the area curiously, taking a closer look at the red-headed flowers. Picking one, he took a closer look at it. "Seems kind of odd that they were right in the middle of this road once."

"Yeah, well…it was meant to be a trap for Dorothy and her friends." Scraps explained, in a less than spirited tone. "They didn't find out what was wrong with them until Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly Lion fell asleep in the middle of them. Seems that West Witch cast a spell on them which puts living things to sleep. That's why you and I are still awake. We're not…you know…humans. Or animals. Or…whatever."

"How did they escape?" Jack wondered aloud.

"Something about a magic-cancelling snowfall Glinda conjured." Scraps answered. "Held off the effects of the poppies for a few hours. Obviously long enough to get Dorothy, the Lion, and Toto out of there."

"How close does one have to be to feel the effects?" Jack asked.

"I guess you'd have to stand right in the midst of them." Scraps replied. "That's why the Scarecrow had Nick Chopper clear the poppies that were growing on the road. Day in, day out. They got rid of every last poppy flower. Then they put up the warning sign I showed you back there."

Scraps glanced curiously over to Jack, who was now sitting amidst the poppy fields, pulling some of the flowers by the lower portions of their stems. He seemed to be working on something.

"I hope you're listening to me, Pumpkinhead." Scraps huffed.

"Every word." Jack calmly replied. "The Scarecrow had Nick Chopper clear the road, then they put up the warning sign. I'm curious, though…why do you always want to play in a place where humans and animals fall asleep?"

Scraps shrugged. "Best place to go when non-meat people like you and me need to be alone. Or spend some time with non-meat people we really like." The patchwork girl tilted her head curiously now, seeing as Jack had not turned back towards her yet and was apparently still busy working on some kind of project she could not see. "You gonna tell me what you're working on there?"

"I'll show you in a minute or so, my dear. I promise." Jack responded. "According to the Scarecrow, you've been with him among these poppies. What kinds of things did you do?"

"Oh, a few fun things." Scraps lowered herself to a sitting position, crossing her legs together as she reminisced. "He showed me all these neat tricks of being what I was. Thought I should know about it in case there was any more trouble. We also had a habit for doing this cute little game. He called it 'Poesy'. One person would say one half of something, and the other person would complete the sentence in a way that rhymes."

"Hmmm. Interesting." Jack replied. "Let's see…so if I said, 'I've got a secret to keep from your eyes'…?"

Scraps still sounded bereft of spirit, but she couldn't help offering an answer. "'The longer you keep it, the more the surprise'."

"'It can't be helped!" Jack remarked. "The tension runs thick.'"

Scraps spread herself upon the ground, looking up at the sky. "'Better show it soon, or I may play a trick.'"

Jack continued his work, always keeping his back turned from Scraps as he spoke his half. "'Are you sure you want to know? You may like it, maybe not.'"

The tone of the patchwork girl's voice started showing signs of life. "'No matter what it is, I'll give it a shot. Maybe a little guesswork? A question or five?'"

The rhythm was on as Jack offered his half. "'But with every question, the suspense won't thrive!'"

Scraps, a smile back on her face, began crawling slowly over to Jack at this point. "'Tension's building! Don't make me start!'"

Jack was about to finish his little project. "'If I had one, my little prize comes from the heart.'"

Scraps was at an angle where she thought she could peek at Jack's creation, but the pumpkin-headed man's peripheral vision caught the patchwork girl attempting a glance, and maneuvered himself so that she could not see it.

Scraps sounded frustrated, moving to a frumpy kneeling position. "'I'm waiting too long! Now I've got a frown!'"

Jack then maneuvered himself to face Scraps, placing his creation carefully upon the head of the patchwork girl. "'Fret not, my dear…for thou hast earned thy crown.'"

Scraps went silent for a moment, and then her hands went to the crown-like circle Jack had made for her. It was a surprisingly sturdy arrangement of intertwined poppy flowers, and it was indeed arranged in a very crown-like fashion. After staring upon it for nearly a minute, she placed the crown back on her head.

Jack stood back up and bowed respectfully unto the patchwork girl. "Hail to thee, o' princess of the poppy fields."

Scraps was utterly speechless. She did not expect this from Jack at all.

Such was the length of her silence that Jack sounded concerned when next he spoke. "Scraps? Are you all right? Oh please, say something!"

What she did say was hardly audible, but she had to voice it. "I…don't know what to say…"

As much as a part of her felt she needed to come out and admit that the gesture was romantic enough to set off a potentially lasting spark, it was at least enough to convince the patchwork girl that Jack was worth having around as a good friend, at the very least.

"Maybe we should go back?" Jack offered, still concerned.

"Why?"

Jack shrugged. "Um…maybe…mother might be worried about us?"

"Oh, don't be silly. She's probably watching us right now with that picture of hers." Scraps responded, rising to her feet. "That's the great thing about not being a meat person. No need to eat, no need to sleep. I could teach you a few things, you know. Things the Scarecrow taught me. I hope you can keep up."

A wooden finger went to Jack's mouth, perhaps in an expression of nervousness. "Well, I…I will certainly try."

The smile remained on the quilted face of the patchwork girl as she took Jack by his wooden hands. "Don't worry…I'll start with the easy stuff and go from there."

"Um…I won't have to hang, like, upside down and all?" her pumpkin-headed friend wondered aloud. "My head might fall off and break."

Scraps tilted her head to the side, smiling. "I won't let that happen, Jack." Her voice was a little more tender now. "I promise."

"Well…um…if you put it _that _way…" Jack gestured accordingly. "…do lead the way, your highness."

As a result of their time together that night, which did in fact last into the early morning hours, Jack did indeed learn more than a few tricks in maneuvering around from the patchwork girl. As much dancing and prancing as Jack was capable of, and in a manner which would of course keep his large head out of danger.

Any who might have walked past the poppy area that late would have seen them in a manner no different from seeing two children at play within a field of flowers.

Beyond this particular night, things were different between Jack Pumpkinhead and Scraps, the patchwork girl. She had regarded him less coldly now, although she still maintained her existing interest in the Scarecrow.

Perhaps, in time, that would change…

…but that, dear reader, is a story for another time.

* * *

Now most might believe that a man of Boq's considerably wealthy stature might imply…particularly for the fact that he did, in fact, live in a mansion…that he would have a retinue of servants seeing to his every need. Granted, he had his personal carriage driver, Willington, but this was about the only real exception he had made.

Boq, after all, was one of the survivors of the great reign of terror the munchkins had been put through when the Wicked Witch of the East became their oppressor. Through this terrible time, he had come to know the dangers of being in a position of absolute rulership, and as such, he did not wish to develop the kind of habits which would make him no different from the East Witch in terms of her deplorable sense of vanity.

Much of the activities in the mansion were performed by Boq himself, although he had occasionally asked for Willington's aid from time to time. Most, therefore, might consider the well-dressed munchkin the closest thing to a personal Butler that Boq had, but the Mayor of Munchkinland considered him to be more of a close personal friend.

Boq had considered another visit to Dorothy's home, but he remembered his own words to her. He had wanted to challenge himself. He wanted to be able to earn her by her own want.

A part of him felt a little guilty, however. After all, this was the national heroine of the munchkins, and to see her continue to persist in a form that was not her natural one occasionally concerned the green-clad munchkin. Was she just being kind, he thought, by remaining in that form? Perhaps out of sympathy for him? He could no longer push any kind of effort to find out. If anyone was to make any initiative in this next apparent step in their association, it had to be Dorothy herself.

He had wanted to be content with that…and for the moment, he was. Just as he had been content to accept the fact that his association with Jinjur could go no further. Official business was about the only way she and him could ever associate in any way.

Boq was sure there would be an open breakfast area somewhere in Munchkinland, and he made a conscious decision to have Willington bring his carriage around so his driver could take him around the populated areas of the community and see about joining one such outdoor breakfast occurrence. He had done so several times since the dangers of the witch-sisters had passed, and the munchkins loved him all the more for such a routinely selfless gesture.

But when Boq opened the door, a face he had not expected to see stood on the other side of it. Willington, in the distance, looked just as bewildered over the presence of this visitor.

Jinjur's face looked entirely neutral. It also looked somewhat different. A bit more civilian, and she had fixed up her appearance in a manner the Mayor of Munchkinland did not expect from one who had been ordained the Master General Commander.

"Hello, Boq." Jinjur began.

The gentlemanly munchkin figured this was going to be a matter of official busines despite the fact that she was clearly out of uniform, so he snapped to attention. "Good morning, Master General Commander. How may I help you this morning?"

Jinjur lowered her head a little. She had wondered how Boq would respond to her more civilian appearance, and was now at a loss to figure out what to say next.

Boq frowned in his confusion after noticing the soldier's reluctance to answer. "Jinjur? Please, my dear…what is it?"

Eventually, Jinjur lifted her head back up. "I…well…you don't have t…um…"

"Don't…have to…" Boq tilted his head to the side in his puzzlement. "…what? Was there a coup? Is that why you are no longer in uniform?"

Jinjur sighed audibly, abandoning her hesitation completely. "I'm no longer the Master General Commander, Boq. The ceremony was performed a couple of hours ago. It was a private ceremony."

Boq's eyes widened in his clearly evident surprise. "_Really? _But…dear me, Jinjur. Did you not desire that status? Belay didn't convince you to abandon it, did he?"

Jinjur shook her head. "No. Belay didn't want his title back at all. My responsibilities to the regiments have passed to Spindle. You should have seen his initial reaction to that. At first, he refused it. He didn't like the idea of someone like me surrendering the responsibilities. Even now, he's still reluctant."

"But _why, _Jinjur?" Boq looked very concerned now. He maintained his suspicion that this was the result of foul play. "I've only known you to be a soldier. I mean…you are the reason I developed my own sense of steadfast resolve. I owe far too much to you. As far as I am concerned, you will _always_ be the true Master General Commander. If you need someone to make a stand…even _fight_…for the sake of…"

"Boq, _stop. Please _stop." Jinjur raised her hands in emphasis. "This is not the result of a surrender, nor any kind of defeat. Don't worry about that."

"_What, _then?"

Jinjur had to smile as she revealed her justification. "Retirement, Boq. I'm all soldiered out. I think both you and I would agree that I've spent more than enough time tending to the regiments, training them, drilling them…I think I've done just about anything and everything that is to be expected of a soldier. Dorothy gave me the idea of starting up a kind of civilian corps. Something more volunteer-based, to supplement the resident armies, but I don't want to do that _as _a soldier."

Boq still found this difficult to comprehend. "But…how will you live? I mean…when you're not running this…'civilian corps' concept?"

Jinjur shrugged, smiling. "Take up farming, I guess. But…well, it's virgin territory for me, Boq. I'm gonna need a little advice."

"I can think of no better guide than Henry Gale himself, Jinjur." Boq replied. "Our farming practices have improved quite significantly through his help." He was hesitant to make his next offer. "Um…if you wish, I…I can take you there."

But Jinjur shook her head. "Not yet, Boq. Besides…it looks like you were on your way out here anyway. Can I ask where you were going?"

"Well…I figured someone, somewhere, was organizing an open breakfast." Boq responded. "I guess you could say I am demonstrating my responsibilities to my people. In a manner which you, my dear, had taught me."

Jinjur nodded, smiling. "You've come such a long way, Boq. You really have. Even without silly ol' me giving you any advice."

"Well…I do remember what was, Jinjur. The…mistake…I had made." Boq sounded a little more serious here. "I did stay away, too."

"I know." Jinjur replied. "That's…part of the reason why I'm here. I understand you have been seeing Dorothy Gale as of late? As a friend?"

"Yes." Boq confirmed. "At the advice of another. Seems that patchwork girl Margolotte has working for her believes we are a natural match for one another. She even told me Dorothy has a means of overcoming the age deficit that…well, ultimately divided you and…"

Boq's eyes widened as Jinjur procured the necklace upon which the small vial was attached. The very same one Dorothy had surrendered to the former munchkin soldier.

"Was this what you're referring to, Boq?" Jinjur calmly asked, smiling.

Boq gazed upon it for a long moment before Jinjur placed it in the Mayor's outstretched hand. He took a closer look at the small glass vial itself, and an eyebrow arched up when he made a significant discovery regarding the vial.

"It's…_empty?_"

"Dorothy willingly gave it to me." Jinjur revealed. "She figured you and I were a better match for each other…and you know what? She's _right, _Boq."

As much as Boq's next move would have shocked the soldier Jinjur once was, she couldn't help but giggle at the Mayor's need for confirmation.

One of his hands had pressed against Jinjur's chest, confirming that the bulge at her farmer's shirt was indeed a pair of matured breasts.

Boq's voice went soft as his eyes met Jinjur's, his hand dropping back down. "You did this for _me?_"

Jinjur nodded slowly. "Yes, Boq."

They stepped in close to one another at this point. Boq's hands went to Jinjur's waist, and Jinjur's to Boq's shoulders. Their eyes continued their affectionate stare as they lingered in this revelatory moment. Whatever boundaries between them that were once believed to be impassable were now gone, as if they had never existed.

"Don't you go courting me, Boq." Jinjur noted. "I think, for all the time we had been together during the reign of that witch, you've already done that."

Boq nodded. "As you wish, my dear…but…you realize that only one course of action remains."

Jinjur smiled. "I know."

A little more confident compared to his last attempt, the Mayor of Munchkinland lowered to a knee before the retired soldier. The first time, Jinjur looked visibly shocked. This time, however, Jinjur's eyes began to water.

Boq softly took Jinjur's right hand into his own. "Will you marry me, Jinjur?"

Happy tears now fell from the retired soldier's eyes as she nodded, smiling. "Yes."

Jinjur pulled him up from the ground with a stronger grip on his hand and wrapped her arms around a surprised Boq lovingly. "With all my heart, you silly, crazy munchkin."

In the next moment, their lips connected in a deep, affectionate kiss.

Willington had to pull the handkerchief he had at his waistcoat to wipe the happy tears falling from his own eyes, seeing the two silly, crazy munchkins…the spiritual strength of Munchkinland itself…re-acknowledge their love for one another.

He was already looking forward to the wedding.

* * *

Ozma and Dorothy smiled as they looked upon the image in the Magic Picture, seeing Boq and Jinjur finally kiss following the Mayor's all-too-evident marriage proposal.

Ozma then neutralized the image and turned to her munchkin guest. "I still think you and Boq would have been a good couple, Dorothy…but you also had a point in that they had known each other for a longer period of time. I think their union will make Munchkinland all the stronger."

Moving away from the magic picture as the fairy princess spoke, Ozma retrieved her long, golden wand and stepped in front of Dorothy. "So is everything in order? Don't worry about your things at the Munchkinland home. They'll be in your suite here at the royal palace within the hour."

Dorothy nodded. A part of her felt sad, but she didn't let it show. "Yes, your highness…but, what's gonna happen to that house? I…grew kind of attached to it."

"I should hope so, my dear. You've lived there for two years, after all!" Ozma giggled. "You know…I would understand if you wanted to change your mind. There are other things you could do as a munchkin aside from what you had been doing."

"I can't do that to Oscar, your highness. Or Glinda, for that matter." Dorothy reasoned. "Besides…I already have something that will help me to remember those two incredible years."

"I don't think anything will change between you and the munchkins, either." Ozma added. "No matter what you are, you'll always be their national heroine. Especially to Boq and Jinjur. As for the house? Who knows? Maybe Boq and Jinjur will go back there, assuming Boq is willing to let go of his mansion. If he doesn't? Well…I'm sure it will find new owners soon enough. Maybe they'll leave it alone, for Auntie Lo's sake, hoping she'll re-appear there someday."

Dorothy nodded, and then closed her eyes, having stepped in front of a large mirror within the boudoir. "I'm ready."

The head of Ozma's golden wand now glowed with a beautiful light, and Dorothy could already feel the warmth of its magic flowing through her as she felt herself grow, her body slowly slimming down. As Dorothy had brought Toto with her, he began to bark excitedly as he saw the small, round frame of the munchkin she had been become a taller, slimmer, and far more recognizable, human girl. Her hair was once again split into two pigtails, looking just the way she did when she took her first steps into the land of Oz two years ago.

Once the warmth of Ozma's magic was gone, Dorothy slowly opened her eyes, looking upon her own reflection.

The blue and white dress she had come to the Emerald City in…the one she came to love so much as a munchkin…was gone. In its place was the blue and white gingham dress.

"I never did find out who got that dress for me." Dorothy softly remarked.

"Until now." Ozma placed her hands upon Dorothy's shoulders, smiling. The restored Kansas girl turned to the fairy princess curiously.

"I was the one who gave you that dress, Dorothy." Ozma finally admitted. "I knew you would look _wonderful _in it, and you did."

"_You _got that for me? I…I'm flattered!" Dorothy smiled, and then bowed her head, quickly regaining her composure in front of the land's ruler. "Thank you, your highness."

Ozma giggled, and then wrapped her arms around the Kansas girl, giving her a warm and tender hug. Pulling away, she placed one of her soft, flawless hands against Dorothy's warm cheek. "You know…if it's just you and me in here, you don't need to be so formal. Just think of me as another one of your good friends, Dorothy. At least, until I have to tend to other matters."

Dorothy nodded. "As you wish, your highness."

Ozma rolled her eyes at this. "There you go again! Come on, Dorothy! Relax! Here…maybe it would help if, in times when it's just you and me, you call me 'Ozma' instead of 'your highness', or 'your majesty'. Please. I insist."

Dorothy smiled at this. "Okay…Ozma."

"There." The fairy princess ran a hand over the Kansas girl's hair, and lightly kissed Dorothy upon her lips. "Much better."

Dorothy then felt a pair of paws upon her bare leg. Toto now seemed far below her, given how she had gotten used to him being closer with her diminished munchkin size. She bent down and picked the cairn terrier up, rubbing at his soft fur as he excitedly licked at Dorothy's face.

"Looks like Toto hasn't forgotten what you used to look like, eh?" Ozma mused.

Dorothy giggled at this. "Well, he does seem a little more excited than usual!"

A couple of knocks at the door interrupted the moment, and Jellia Jamb stepped in. Before she could speak, her eyes went to the restored Kansas girl with a bit of surprise. "Oh! Dorothy! Back to your old self, I see!"

"Mm-hmm! Figured I'd move back into my suite here, too." Dorothy replied.

"Well, seeing as how we've been taking care of it for the past two years, you'll find it was just the way you left it." Jellia assured. She then turned her attention to Ozma. "Your highness…visitors to the throne room. It's Glinda, Oscar, and Professor Wogglebug."

Dorothy turned to Ozma. "They probably want to talk to you about the School Pill curriculum they developed, if not the establishing of the new College of Art and Athletic Perfection."

As Dorothy spoke, an idea came to the mind of the fairy princess. "Dorothy…I don't suppose I could have you wait here in my boudoir while I…send a certain someone up here to see you again?"

Dorothy nodded, smiling as she continued to hold Toto in her arms. "Absolutely."

* * *

Nick Chopper was completely silent as Ku-Klip continued his work. Nick had returned to the workshop moments before, having been sent out into the nearby wilderness to collect the ingredients that were needed for the sleeping potion Ku-Klip needed to engage in the operation necessary to help Nimmie.

Nick did not wish to hear the ugly noises that emanated from the workshop as Ku-Klip worked, so he waited outside. The work, after all, was fairly involved. With Nick being who he was, Ku-Klip at least knew that the Emperor would not fall asleep on him as he waited.

Contrarily, however, the master tinsmith was not made of tin, and although he could work long hours, there were limits to his endurance. Fortunately, he had made Nick aware of this when they discussed the matter of what was to be done with Nimmie Amee.

As a result, it was not until the following evening that Ku-Klip emerged from his workshop to confront the ruler of the winkies.

The tinsmith wiped at his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief as he spoke. "My emperor…the effects of the potion should be wearing off shortly."

Nick nodded. "And…Nimmie is…?"

"It's easier if you just come in and see her, my emperor." Ku-Klip responded. "I will, however, say this much. Nimmie is a very, _very _insistent munchkin."

That was enough to fill the tin emperor with concern. Nick had discussed the matter of merely replacing Nimmie's missing limbs with munchkin-sized, tin-wrought implants. The former munchkin woodcutter knew that there was a bit more damage to her small body in addition to the missing limbs, but he figured that one of the good witches could attend to those.

To hear Ku-Klip remind of Nimmie's 'insistence', however, gave Nick the impression that the munchkin woman he was about to see with his own two eyes was going to be a radically different one.

His eyes widened significantly when he finally saw the results of Ku-Klip's amazing work.

His face, in fact, was practically frozen with disbelief. No real emotion…neither anger, nor joy…could be seen by way of Nick's reaction.

Nimmie's eyes…which, like Nick's, were still her own…finally fluttered open.

She then brought a tin-plated hand up for Nick to grasp.

It seemed that Nick failed to notice this hint, however. Perceived something different. It took a solid nudge from Ku-Klip to bring the amazed emperor to his senses and realize what Nimmie wanted.

His steps were slow in his approach to the woman he loved, and he finally spoke as his hand closed around her offered one. "How…hhhhow do y…you feel?"

Nimmie pulled her body to a sitting position on the workshop table, and the marvelously-crafted and quite beautiful tin _woman_ stared deeply into Nick Chopper's eyes, smiling as she offered her one-word reply.

"Taller."

* * *

**Just one more chapter to go before we wrap things up on this sequel! Sorry for the long wait!**

**And there will be yet ****_another_**** movie-based adaptation of Baum's Oz books starting up once this one ends, folks…**


	13. XIII: An Undaunted Storyteller

**XIII: An Undaunted Storyteller**

Glinda had Oscar and Professor Wogglebug do the talking in their presentation of both the School Pill concept and that of the College of Art and Athletic Perfection to the fairy princess. The Professor produced a full floor plan of the College while explaining its purposes, while Oscar explained the functions of the newly-created school pills, and the justification behind their use.

Ozma was, of course, quite willing to accept both concepts, but she had been thinking of a sly manner in which to reveal that Dorothy Gale had returned to Oz. Some justification by which she could bring the old man upstairs to the boudoir.

As she listened, however, ideas began to percolate through their own words. "Now I realize that the school pill system might render existing methods of education in Oz obsolete," Oscar explained. "but when you consider the good professor's wisdom in that one must be well-balanced not only in mind, but also in body, the need for a new means of personal development in a land such as ours becomes entirely clear, your highness."

The fairy princess convincingly feigned skepticism here. "So…one pill, and you become entirely knowledgeable in algebra? I can't help but be concerned that this development would effectively dissolve long-held institutions like the Learning Guild in Munchkinland, Oscar. I should like to see evidence of this school pill's effectiveness, or at least hear from someone who has paid _witness _to such a development."

Oscar now looked flustered. "Well…the professor _did _have an entirely unschooled boy swallow a couple of those pills, but this was done in front of the Learning Guild."

"Oh?" Ozma sounded genuinely curious here, despite the act she was putting on. "Which child? Do you know his name?"

"I believe it was Sprog, your highness." The professor responded. "I might recommend, too, that if it is witness testimony you desire, perhaps the new Ministress of Educational Affairs can be consulted to verify our…"

Realizing the insectoid professor might bring up Dorothy, Ozma had to quickly cut in, although she now had her justification to bring Oscar up to the boudoir. "Yes, yes…I think I should very much like to see these changes firsthand. Follow me, then. We can find out where Sprog is using the magic picture, and then have him sent here." Ozma then glanced to the Good Witch of the South, realizing she, too, might be unaware of Dorothy's restoration. "You too, Glinda. Please join us."

The fairy princess then brought her entourage upstairs to the second level of the royal palace, bringing them before the door to her boudoir. Gesturing to Oscar, she motioned him towards the door. "After you, Mr. Diggs."

Glinda's apprentice stepped through the door once Ozma opened it…

…and, much to the surprise of the others in the entourage, Ozma shut the door right behind Oscar.

Alarmed, Oscar turned to confirm that he was apparently alone in the large and beautiful-looking boudoir. He noticed a couple of familiar aspects to the chambers, as he himself had used this very same room during his rule over the land of Oz.

He was understandably amazed over how thoroughly it had been so femininely altered. In the absence of a ceiling, Oscar could have mistaken it for a garden spot. The boudoir was filled with a pleasantly fragrant scent, and the furniture pieces were quite exquisite in their workmanship.

But why was he brought into the room alone, the old man wondered? Perhaps he had been tricked by those phanfasm monsters? Was this an elaborate trap from which he could not escape?

Unfortunately, Glinda had not trained him in being able to pick up on such possibilities. Being able to see through illusionary guises. Still, Oscar thought, Ozma was a fairy, and he imagined it would take a great deal of effort to be able to defeat whatever sorcerous prowess one such as Ozma must possess.

He heard murmurings outside the door which he did recognize to be Ozma and Glinda, but he could not make out the words spoken. As the voices at least sounded like they were in conversation and not in any kind of duress(although Glinda did sound a bit surprised), Oscar stepped away from the door and moved further into the boudoir.

As surprised as Glinda might have been, however, that was nothing compared to the expression on Oscar's face when a young girl he had thought was safely back in Kansas stepped out to face him, smiling happily.

The former ruler of Oz tilted his head to the side in his obvious disbelief. "_Dorothy?_"

The Kansas girl nodded, giggling.

Oscar frowned in his confusion. "But…I was told that you found a way back to Kansas!"

Dorothy nodded again. "The ruby slippers I had on took me back home. They also brought me back here, too."

"But _why?_" Oscar stepped forward in his visible concern, holding Dorothy's arms with gentle grips. "What about your family? Your friends?"

Dorothy smiled. "My Aunt and Uncle moved to Oz with me. Toto is here, too. They're living alongside the munchkins in Munchkinland. We've been living in Oz for the past two years."

"Two _years?_" Oscar looked considerably surprised at this last revelation. "I do hope you haven't run into any wicked witches in all that time, my dear."

As much as she wanted to bring up her encounter with Mombi, she decided to keep that to herself. "Well…whether I have or not, the point is, I'm still safe and sound, right? I was pretty concerned as to what had happened to _you _when you floated away in that balloon."

Oscar sighed with regret at this, lowering his head a little. "I had honestly wanted to take you with me, Dorothy. It's to my eternal shame that things happened as they did. Mere words cannot begin to express how sorry I am that I had failed you."

Dorothy sympathetically rubbed a hand against Oscar's right cheek. "We're both safe and sound. That's all that matters. It's so _wonderful _to see you again!" She then wrapped her arms around the old man affectionately. Oscar reciprocated, a gentle smile forming on his own lips.

The rest of the entourage had quietly slipped inside as they hugged, and they smiled at the sight of the tender reunion. Glinda was particularly happy to see that Dorothy had chosen to restore her humanity rather than remain a munchkin.

When they finally separated, Oscar noticed that the others had joined them, and he gestured to the Kansas girl. "Perhaps young Dorothy here can serve as proof of the power behind my school pills!" He then pulled one of the capsules and turned to her. "Prepare to become a qualified expert in trigonometry, my dear! Open wide!"

"Uh, Oscar…" Ozma interjected, hurrying over to him. "…that won't be necessary. You see…we have actually seen to Dorothy's education already. The, uh…the munchkins assigned one of their best tutors for her and she spent the last two years completing her education."

Dorothy nodded, reinforcing the excuse as Glinda amusedly watched, and Professor Wogglebug quirked an eyebrow. "Yup…and wouldn't you know it? The tutor's name was Dorothea, too. Miss Dorothea. She was an exceptionally good tutor, too. I learned a _lot _from her."

Fortunately, Oscar bought the ruse. "Well! I ought to _meet_ her sometime!"

Glinda decided to reinforce the ruse even further. "Oh, I'm afraid that won't be possible, my apprentice. Once Dorothea had finished Dorothy's education, she was called away to the land of Mo. She has munchkin relatives there, after all, and she figured the latest addition to the family required a spot of education herself."

Oscar shrugged at this. "Well, perhaps when I'm good enough with magic, I can pay a little visit to the land of Mo and meet her then."

Dorothy smirked to the Good Witch of the South, who shrugged, smiling meekly.

"As I recollect, though…" the professor interjected. "…Dorothy _did _actually pay witness to the use of the school pill. Did you not, my dear?"

"Oh! Yes!" Dorothy nodded in her confirmation, turning to Ozma. "Your highness…those school pills really _do _work. Sprog swallowed pills which did wonders for his vocabulary. He demonstrated this in front of the entire Learning Guild, too!"

Oscar really did want Ozma to see the results for herself, though. "If you still wanted to find out where Sprog is so you can see firsthand, your highness…"

"Mr. Diggs, if Dorothy Gale tells me those pills work, that's all the convincing I need." Ozma interjected, with a tone of assurance. "You and the Professor have my full support of your educationally-minded intentions. If you require any assistance in the building of the College, or in further cultivation of the school pills, you need only ask."

The Wogglebug humbly bowed in a most courteous and gentlemanly manner. "Very much appreciated, your majesty."

"Yes indeed! Thank you, your highness!" Oscar also gave her a courteous bow.

Dorothy gently placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. "So…I hear you're actually learning real magic?"

"Mm-hmm…and making quite a bit of progress, too!" Oscar confirmed, holding his head proudly high. "If the school pills are any indication, that is."

"Speaking of which…we should get right back to your studies, now that we have completed this special project, apprentice." Glinda reminded. She then walked over to Dorothy and wrapped her arms around her, the Kansas girl doing likewise. She then heard Glinda's soft voice in her head. _Your secret is safe with me, my dear…although I must admit, I think you would have been very happy if you had wished to remain a munchkin._

A surprised look was on Dorothy's face as Glinda, who was still smiling, gave the Kansas girl a wink as the benevolent sorceress pulled away. Forming bubbles around herself and Oscar, the duo waved their goodbyes as they began to float out of the boudoir, exiting via the balcony area.

"I wonder…" the professor turned curiously to Dorothy as they watched the two human-sized bubbles float up to the clear skies. "…had _you _expressed any interest in learning the arts of magic, Miss Gale? I would surmise that your experiences with those wicked witches might have instilled such a desire."

Dorothy shook her head, however. "I've never had any interest, professor. I'm happy with being who I am. Don't you think it's advantageous to know that there's someone in Oz who doesn't need to use any magic to try and make a difference?"

"Truly." The Wogglebug nodded. "For a sentiment to come from the lovely young lips of the great champion of Oz herself makes such a statement all the more potent." The insectoid educator then turned to Ozma. "I must return to Munchkinland and inform of your most gracious acceptance of our proposal. We must then procure a spot of necessary land upon which to establish the foundations of the College." He bowed once again, echoing his previous courtesy. "Until next we meet, your majesty."

He then turned back to Dorothy, bowing once again in his courtesy. "Yours is a most enviable life, my dear. May the surprises of the future be as rewarding as possible."

Dorothy bowed back. "Thank you for everything, Professor. I'll see you soon, I'm sure."

As the professor stepped out, Jellia Jamb moved into the boudoir. "Your highness…you have more guests down in the throne room. A mother, a father, and their newborn child. I believe they want to arrange a maturation ceremony for the boy."

Ozma nodded. "Jellia…would you please escort Dorothy to her suite? I would think she'd like to start getting used to her new home."

Jellia curtseyed obediently. "As you wish, your majesty."

Ozma pressed her lips to Dorothy's. "We'll speak again later, my dear." With her long, golden wand in her right hand, she stepped out of the boudoir and made her way downstairs as Jellia motioned for Dorothy to follow the head maid.

Even though she had been away from the residence the Scarecrow had given her two years ago, it seemed like only yesterday that she had been in front of the door to the lavish suite for the sake of a single evening's rest in one of the most comfortable beds she had ever slept in. Stepping past the open door to her suite of rooms, both Dorothy and Jellia saw that a single maid was busy dusting around the interiors of the room.

Jellia apparently recognized this particular servant. "Ah, Myriam. Finishing up?"

"Yes." An older voice replied, her back still turned as she continued her dusting. "The artwork that was installed held my attention for a bit of time. Sweet Dorothy can have her room back now."

Jellia nodded, and then turned to the Kansas girl. "I can bring your next meal up to you, if you wish."

Dorothy shrugged. "I could _make _you a few good meals, you know. I may not be a munchkin anymore, but I still know how to make a seriously delicious meatstalk roast."

Jellia giggled at this. "Well, maybe you can give our cooks a bit of advice if it isn't as good as yours."

"Can you ask me again later, Jellia?" Dorothy asked. "I…just want to linger here for a little bit."

Jellia curtseyed in response. "Yes, ma'am. If Toto should come looking for you, I'll have him sent straight up." The head maid then turned and stepped out of the suite.

The Kansas girl curiously stepped out of the bedroom area as Myriam finished her dusting, and began checking around the rooms of the suite for the artwork she had commissioned during her last night as a munchkin.

She found it prominent upon one of the walls of the sitting room. It was a very large and very detailed rendering of Dorothy's munchkin appearance…her face bright and happy…within a solid gold frame. As she stared upon the image, she already missed wearing the blue and white dress Ozma had given her as a gift. Just as a part of her missed having such an endearingly small and round body. Dorothy thought about what Glinda had said to her moments before. She never imagined the Good Witch of the South would have been able to tolerate what the Kansas girl had become. Perhaps it was good that Glinda was learning a lesson of her own, given her intolerance of transformation magic.

It was indeed possible, after all, for one to find happiness in a form not their own. Her experiences as the first patchwork girl were similarly proof of this.

"Friend of yours, dear?" It was Myriam's voice behind her.

Dorothy smiled. "She was me, actually. For the last two years, this is what I was."

"A munchkin? Such endearing creatures. You must have learned a lot from them." Myriam remarked, gazing upon the picture alongside the Kansas girl.

Dorothy giggled. "You could say that. I still have all that knowledge, too. Winkie valley muffins, whitebreast chicken wrap, blue harvest porridge…I can still make them all."

"Well, I do hope that you'll be forgiving if our meals here in the royal palace are not as good as yours, sweet Dorothy." Myriam mused, smiling.

"Oh, I didn't mean to imply that my cooking was better than anyone else's, Myriam." Dorothy assured. "In fact…I think I _will_ have lunch _and_ dinner sent up. Could you tell Jellia Jamb for me?"

Myriam curtseyed as she replied. "As you wish, sweet Dorothy."

After Myriam left, Dorothy returned to the bedroom. Curiously, she opened the top drawer of her dresser…

…and found that it was fully-stocked with her underwear. It was even arranged in the very same manner that she had it when she was living at the Munchkinland house. Opening the other drawers, she saw that her clothes were similarly arranged.

As Dorothy smiled, she wondered whose magic was behind this. A note she found among the shirts confirmed who it was, however…

**Welcome back, Dorothy!**

**If you're missing anything,  
****let me know! I'll conjure  
****a new one for you!**

** Sincerely,**

** The Wizard**

Dorothy couldn't help but giggle. She was happy that Oscar Zoroaster Phaedrig Issac Norman Henkel Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs was well on his way to becoming a real Wizard of Oz, and a wonderful one at that.

Hearing the sounds of birds chiming their melodies reminded Dorothy that her bedroom had a large window looking out over the expanse of the lands to the north, and the always-busy streets, businesses, and homes within the Emerald City itself far below. She stared thoughtfully out of this window as a young bluebird fluttered idly by it.

She was once again curious as to what would happen with the house that was used by Auntie Lo, and then by Dorothy herself. Would it find new owners? Dorothy had to admit to herself how much she had grown attached to the quaint and charming little place, and the Kansas girl was tempted to board a taxi and head out to Munchkinland to see for herself, but lunchtime was drawing near. She only had time enough to settle into her bed and take a nap, sighing thoughtfully over the Munchkinland experiences that were now behind her.

When her lunch finally arrived, a familiar barking noise accompanied Myriam as she brought a silver tray in with what looked to be a single dish covered with a silver dome. Dorothy picked up Toto happily as the black cairn terrier quickly padded into the bedroom. Myriam smiled pleasantly as she watched Toto lick at Dorothy's face excitedly.

The Kansas girl then caught the scent of what Myriam had laid down upon a table in the bedroom. She recognized the scent, and gently placed Toto back on the ground.

"This is just your appetizer, dear." Myriam explained. "The first of a five-course lunch. Apparently, the cooks of the Emerald City want to show off their skills to the great champion of Oz. I'll just wait by the entrance until you are finished."

"Five-course lunch?" Dorothy sounded surprised. "They don't have to do that."

"That's what I told them, but they were most insistent." Myriam explained. "I suppose you should at least try the soup? If that's enough to satisfy your appetite, then I can just insist right back that the soup was as much as you wanted to eat."

Dorothy nodded, smiling, as she pulled a chair over and settled into it as Myriam lifted the dome to expose the steaming bowl of what the Kansas girl correctly surmised to be chicken-brand meatstalk soup. "That sounds fair. I'll let you know when I'm finished, then."

The soup, however, turned out to be very delicious. Cooled to a degree of warmth that was just right for consumption, and the chicken bits were soft and chewy. Vegetable pieces had been added which blended wonderfully with the overall cultivation, and she was quick to finish the soup.

Dorothy brought the tray back over to Myriam, who was indeed waiting by the entrance to the Kansas girl's suite of rooms, and she saw that four other trays had been brought into the entrance area. Smiling, Myriam took the tray Dorothy offered her, and then went to one of the untouched trays that had been placed on a series of small wooden tables and handed off the second of the five courses.

"Have you ever had a five-course meal before, Dorothy?" Myriam asked as she handed off the tray, which did not have a scent, and did not feel warm at all.

Dorothy shook her head. "I've made a lot of food in the past two years, but I've never had _this _kind of arrangement."

Myriam nodded. "How was the soup? Should I take the rest of the trays back?"

As delicious as the chicken soup was, Dorothy felt compelled to continue with the meal. If the royal palace's cooks had already gone to the trouble of creating it, after all, she did not want to see it go to waste. She shook her head in the negative. "No…I'll keep going."

Myriam nodded. "What I just gave you is the entrée part of the meal. The main course is next. As before, I will wait here for you. You go on back to your bedroom, Dorothy dear. Enjoy."

Once she was back in the bedroom, Dorothy pulled the dome off to reveal a collection of vegetables arranged together to form a salad. Vials of various liquids were revealed to be salad dressings, and she mixed them all together to form an equally delicious entrée, which Dorothy was similarly quick to devour.

It was then that Dorothy exchanged the finished entrée tray for the main course, and she uncovered a large sandwich which combined lettuce and tomato slices with cooked meatstalk strips. The meats were just as soft and chewy as the chicken bits of the soup appetizer. The fourth exchange of trays revealed a delectable chocolate pudding dessert, and the final course was an offering of cheese.

To say that Dorothy was full following the completion of her first five-course meal was an understatement, although she found the combination of meals quite satisfying, even if it did make her feel a bit lazy afterwards. "That was…wonderful." A smiling Dorothy admitted, her eyes half-lidded. "I wouldn't mind having something like that again."

"Oh?" Myriam quirked an eyebrow. "Perhaps you would want a five-course _dinner_ later? I could make those arrangements if you wished."

"If it won't be too much trouble." Dorothy responded, settling into a nearby seat.

"For you? I think the cooks would be honored to make more delicious meals." Myriam lifted the tray and stepped through the open entrance to Dorothy's suite of rooms. "I will let them know how much you have enjoyed their work, and make a request to prepare a similar set of meals for later tonight." With this, Myriam departed for the royal palace kitchens.

"Good." Dorothy nodded slowly, a lazy smile still on her face. "Good."

As all the food she had eaten gave her a considerable influx of energy, Dorothy decided to assuage her previous curiosity about the Munchkinland house she had left behind, and she boarded a taxi once she stepped back outside, directing the driver to take her there.

This taxi, however, had one other person in there, who she had recognized as being among the tutors of the Learning Guild, and she had requested to take her to the Guild's headquarters. This particular tutor…whose name Dorothy knew to be Rizellia…looked a bit sullen.

Dorothy figured that this might have something to do with the sudden change in direction the guild was taking. Out of concern for Rizellia, the Kansas girl directed the driver to take them to the Learning Guild headquarters first, so Rizellia could get there sooner. The sweet but shy Rizellia gave Dorothy a slight smile and a nod of thanks in return.

But when the taxi stopped in front of the headquarters, Dorothy's eyes fell on the one person she figured would be disappointed in her decision to restore herself.

Philomena H. Dee smirked, her hands going to her waist, upon sighting Dorothy, and the Kansas girl chose to disembark alongside Rizellia rather than have the taxi take her to her old Munchkinland home.

As the taxi pulled away, Dorothy stepped over to the new Ministress of Educational Affairs. "You're probably very disappointed in me."

Philomena just shrugged. "Well…a part of me expected that you would want to tower above us munchkins again."

Dorothy crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Oh, come on, Ministress Philomena. From the way you're acting, you're coming across like a sore loser or something. Don't you think I was being considerate to any notion of you losing your status in the Learning Guild when I gave you my title? I've only known you to be an educator, Ministress. You're far more deserving of that title than I am."

Philomena nodded, despite being initially reluctant to concede to the logic. "I…do appreciate that, Dorothy. Really."

Dorothy lowered to a knee in front of the Ministress. "Hey…come on. It's not like I'm gonna stop visiting Munchkinland now. Just because I'm not a munchkin or a tutor anymore doesn't mean we can't still be friends, right?"

Philomena's head was lowered, but she slowly nodded her head. "I still miss the munchkin you used to be, dear. I really do. It was like I…I had a daughter again. I guess that's why I feel so down about it."

Dorothy's eyes widened in her surprise. "Oh, no. Did you lose someone to the witch's tyranny too?"

Philomena nodded lamentedly. "She reminded me so much of you, too. I mean, when you were a munchkin, of course. She was one of those she picked at random to suffer her dreadful whims and experimentations. Every week, she chose one. _One, _Dorothy…and my Jessamine had to be among them." Philomena's eyes began to water as she spoke. "When I went to the witch to find out what had happened to my only daughter, she thought about it for a moment. When I mentioned her name, she just looked at me and…and…"

She couldn't continue, losing herself to sobs as Dorothy sympathetically wrapped her arms around the little munchkin. Philomena sobbed into the Kansas girl's shoulder as she held the smaller humanoid.

"How could she _do_ that to my harmless little girl?" Philomena whined as she continued sobbing into Dorothy's shoulder.

"Shhhh." Dorothy rubbed at the munchkin's back sympathetically. "The witch is gone now. You have to keep going for Jessamine's sake. I think she'll be very happy knowing you've become the foremost authority in Munchkinland education." The Ministress pulled away as Dorothy's hands went to the munchkin's shoulders, gripping them with conviction. "Keep making your daughter proud of you, Philomena. You were a wonderful Headmistress, and I know you'll be an even better Ministress."

Philomena sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes as she smiled. "Thank you, Dorothy. When you put it that way, I…I feel a little more eager to see where this challenging new road takes me."

Dorothy smiled. "Do you think you might try any of the athletic endeavors, Ministress?"

Philomena shrugged, still smiling. "Perhaps. The professor did bring up a good point about balancing our kind of education with physical development. The professor seems to think I could become a good...what was that word? _Coach._"

Dorothy giggled as she rose back up to her feet. "I can see you becoming a good coach too. I'm sure you'll find out more about what that is once the College is built."

Philomena looked Dorothy over once she straightened herself. "Uh…Dorothy, if I may say so, you could use a bit of athletic endeavor yourself. Did you just eat?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Dorothy replied. "A five-course meal. I've never had one of those. Delicious stuff, too. I wouldn't mind having another such meal."

Philomena had to giggle at that. "Are you trying to get your round body back? Even as a human?"

Dorothy shrugged. "I'd still be me no matter what I looked like, right?"

Philomena nodded in agreement. "Indeed, dear." She then glanced back to the headquarters, where it seemed a couple of tutors…Rizellia among them…were waiting for her to finish speaking with the Kansas girl. "Alas, I must get back to work here. We're figuring out ways of involving the members of the guild in the day-to-day running of the College. I just can't let go of the tutors that didn't want our guild to disband, Dorothy. We've spent so much time together, and there has to be _something _I can do to keep our bonds strong."

"Oh, I _know _you'll think of something, Ministress." Dorothy replied. "Maybe the others can give you a few ideas."

"Hence the meeting we're about to start." Philomena waved to the Kansas girl as she began to step away. "Perhaps we will see you for an open meal sometime?"

Dorothy nodded, waving back. "I'll bring the Herku Crumpets. See you soon, Ministress!"

Once they separated, Dorothy decided to stay on foot in her approach to her old home, walking past several munchkins who waved their greetings to her. Many of them were logically surprised that she was human again, and Dorothy had to giggle at their reaction to this.

Eventually, the Kansas girl arrived at the front of the house, which was understandably smaller than she was now. Memories of the previous two years logically manifested upon opening the front door, bending her body down low as she stepped in.

Predictably, the entire house was empty. Every step, every sound she made produced an echo. The furniture was gone, anything she had created was gone. Even the stains from having made all that food was gone. It was as if no one had ever inhabited the place at all.

A voice she had not heard for two years interrupted the silence, and it was coming from just outside the front door. "You're missing the life already, eh?"

Locasta stepped through the front door, smiling to Dorothy as she entered. It was not, however, the visage of the Good Witch of the North.

It was Auntie Lo, the sweet old munchkin who had seen to Dorothy's safety when she had returned to Oz using the ruby slippers. She had also been the one to introduce Dorothy to a munchkin form to evade capture by the winged monkeys.

Lo giggled, seeing Dorothy's expression of surprise. "I felt the same way when I decided to stop being Auntie Lo. I guess I'm taking a trip down memory lane myself."

"What do you think is gonna happen to the house, though?" Dorothy asked.

"Oh, I'm not sure, dear." Lo replied. "This place was actually used as a safehouse by Boq and Jinjur during the reign of the Wicked Witch of the East. Many refugees found safety below it, in the passages beneath the house, and the Mayor went to great lengths to keep them all safe with Jinjur's help. Speaking of which…have you heard the news?"

Dorothy nodded, smiling. "They're getting married. I'm really happy for the both of them."

"It seems Jinjur was set upon by a mysterious growth spurt." Lo noted, with mock confusion. "I wonder who might have been responsible for that?"

Dorothy shrugged. "Boq and Jinjur have been together for a longer period of time compared to Boq and me. It seemed to be the more logical choice."

"Yes. And a very wise one, at that." Lo responded, smiling. "To answer your question, though, I suspect that the house will find new owners at some point, or I'll just do what I had intended to do with it when I went back to being the Good Witch of the North, and that would be to make this place Auntie Lo's home again. Give the munchkins the idea that she would come back again sometime." Lo then arched an eyebrow. "Or perhaps offer a great champion of Oz some more tea and biscuits should she want to return to a life among the munchkins again." She punctuated this statement with a sly wink.

Dorothy sighed at this particular memory. "Maybe someday, I'll take you up on that. I mean…those were delicious tea and biscuits, after all."

Lo giggled at this. "Perhaps you can bake something for ol' Auntie Lo too, eh? I hear you make some of the best Blue Harvest Porridge in all of Munchkinland."

Dorothy giggled as well. "Yeah…I've gotten pretty good at making that."

Lo stepped over to Dorothy at this point with a more sober expression. "Do me a favor for the moment, dear. Go on back to the royal palace and just spend the rest of your day in your suite. Just relax for a time. Get used to your new home there. Just put Munchkinland behind you for now. If the feelings of melancholy still linger after a few weeks, just head on over to my palace and we can have a little talk about it. Okay?"

Dorothy nodded, after a moment of thought. "Okay…Auntie Lo."

She planted a kiss upon the smaller humanoid's forehead before stepping out of the house. When Auntie Lo emerged from the house, she had restored herself to the benevolent old human woman everyone knew to be the Good Witch of the North.

A smile lingered on Dorothy's lips for the rest of the trip back to the Emerald City, and she returned to her suite of rooms once the taxi stopped in front of the royal palace.

Eventually, the day dissolved to night, and Myriam returned to offer the first of five more offerings of food, this one to serve as Dorothy's five-course dinner. The appetizer was vegetable soup this time, followed by another delicious salad. A large meatstalk-based meal followed, which was the closest thing to a gravy-covered steak dinner in the land of Oz. More chocolate pudding was revealed to be the fourth offering, followed by another plate full of cheddar cheese.

Once she was finished with the five-course dinner, which made her feel much fuller than the lunch offerings did, she felt tired enough to take a nap, laying upon her bed as she rubbed her now larger gut. Toto gazed up at Dorothy curiously as the Kansas girl's nap lasted much longer than she had imagined.

Eventually, Toto jumped onto the bed and curled himself into a comfortable-enough position to close his eyes and sleep alongside his beloved owner.

* * *

As she had finished her day's work, Myriam needed to distance herself not only from the royal palace, but from the Emerald City as well. The effects of the potion she used to disguise her true appearance were due to wear off within an hour, and she needed to be well on her way back to her farmhouse home.

She walked the entire way along the roads leading to the north country. A satisfied smile lingered on her face as her true appearance replaced that of the Myriam guise the wicked, sneaky old crone was using.

Old Mombi had warned Dorothy Gale before the former patchwork girl had left her to her supposed defeat. _Watch what you eat,_ she had said. _Watch what you drink._

The gillikin witch knew that what she had inflicted upon Dorothy was not much, although it would certainly be enough to remind her of the time the Kansas girl served as Mombi's milkmaid.

Mombi had been _very _careful with her potion work, realizing she was occasionally under scrutiny. Although the old crone had been rendered incapable of casting spells, there were magic items in hidden places in the farmhouse when Glinda de-powered her. One of these items…a ring, which she began wearing shortly after Glinda forced her to restore Tip's human form...subtly trembled when she was being magically watched, and over the course of two years, she knew when to continue her potions work, and when she could not, for fear of being discovered.

Mombi would otherwise have been unable to create the potions she had used to taint Dorothy's five-course meals.

* * *

It was still late in the evening when Dorothy Gale's eyes finally re-opened.

When she finally began to move, and she began to regain her senses, Dorothy realized that any notion of further sleep was not possible. Checking the clock in the bedroom, she saw that it was about 2:00 in the morning.

Sighing, she spotted Toto resting beside her, and she ran one of her hands over the dog's black fur. Feeling this, the little terrier began licking at Dorothy's hand.

It was then that she noticed her hand looked a little more chubby.

Looking down at herself, her eyes widened as she realized that once again, her body was larger than it was supposed to be. The gingham dress she had slept in now felt tighter on her body.

Dorothy was instantly reminded of the brief, but scary time she spent as Mombi's 'milkmaid' at the gillikin witch's farmhouse two years ago. Her typically slim figure was made rubenesque in the old crone's effort to keep Dorothy from joining Jinjur's then-nascent Army of Revolt.

This time, however, she felt slightly larger than that…or so she suspected.

Slipping off the bed, Dorothy stepped over to a full-length mirror in her sitting room, Toto padding curiously behind her. She had to be careful how she moved, lest she unintentionally damaged the dress she was wearing.

Coming face to face with her own image, once she lit a nearby lamp, she gazed for a long moment at her now curvy figure.

It didn't take long for her to realize why she now looked like this, and Dorothy closed her eyes with the realization, sighing loudly.

The words came back to her. Even after two years, she still remembered them.

_Watch what you eat. _

_Watch what you drink._

"Mombi." She whispered to herself.

When her eyes opened once again, they looked a little more…defiant. More unwilling to give in to despair.

Carefully removing her clothes, and then replacing them with a more loose-fitting nightgown, she decided to take stock of her kitchen's food stores. Seeing that she had enough vegetables to put together a bowl of food for Toto, she arranged a mixture for the hungry-looking black cairn terrier and placed the bowl down so he could begin devouring it.

As she settled her larger body into a kitchen chair, she wondered if Toto would look any larger as well afterwards.

She then heard the front door in the entrance chamber open. A minute or so later, the Scarecrow walked into the kitchen.

His stuffed hands went to his waist as he voiced his deduction. "Mombi?"

Dorothy nodded. "It has to be. All that time thinking about my experiences in Munchkinland, I completely forgot that ol' witch's warning to me two years ago."

The Scarecrow shrugged, smiling. "I'm sure Ozma's fairy magic should burn off that extra weight."

Dorothy, however, shook her head. "No…I think I'll stay like this, Scarecrow. I know it sounds crazy, but…well, I've been in a round body for two years. I'll let Mombi get away with this one."

The straw-stuffed advisor nodded in his understanding. "Wicked witches just can't leave you alone, can they?"

Dorothy shrugged, smiling. "Even when Mombi loses, Mombi wins, I guess."

"You should make your own meals for the time being." The Scarecrow advised. "Just to be on the safe side."

Dorothy nodded. "You might want to do a little investigation on one of the maids, too. Her name is Myriam. She's the one who fed me those two five-course meals."

The Scarecrow arched an eyebrow. "_Two _five-course meals?"

"Mm-hmm." Dorothy again nodded. "Five-course lunch, and a five-course dinner. Delicious stuff, but…well, I had no way of knowing Mombi had done anything to them."

"I'll let Ozma know." The Scarecrow responded. "Jellia might be interested in this as well. We can find out from her how long Myriam has been working here. In the meantime, you should get back to bed."

Dorothy shrugged again, not feeling tired at all. "I can't sleep. I took a nap after my five-course dinner, and…well, I didn't get up until about an hour ago. I'm ready for a full day, strange as that sounds."

The Scarecrow nodded. "Well, if you ever get tired of those extra pounds, you would at least have a reason to go to the College of Art and Athletic Perfection! The building should be ready to accept its first students by the month's end. The Learning Guild is all over it, too. Tutors are being trained in athletic endeavors by Professor Wogglebug."

"Even if I didn't, though, I don't see the big deal in being, well, larger." Dorothy reasoned. "I'm still the same ol' Dorothy Gale no matter _what_ I look like, right?"

The Scarecrow again nodded, smiling. "You've proven that time and time again, Dorothy Gale. If they have a problem with you looking a little different, that's on them. They'll have to contend with the royal advisor to the princess of Oz, a lion who just happens to be king of the Quadling Country beasts, and a tin man with an axe otherwise."

Dorothy nodded in agreement. "I wonder how they're doing these days."

"Oh, the lion has all those affairs to deal with as the leader of the Legion of Courage." The Scarecrow explained. "As for Emperor Nick, well…it seems that the munchkin woman he re-acquainted himself with was attacked by a fierce pack of roaming kalidahs."

Dorothy gasped at this. "Mercy me…I hope she's all right!"

"Nick took her to see Ku-Klip." The straw-stuffed advisor explained. "Something tells me Nimmie Amee is going to be just as tin-plated as Nick is when we see them both again."

Dorothy smiled at that thought. "A tin man and a tin woman."

"More like an Emperor and an Empress." The Scarecrow mused. A thought then occurred to him which he felt compelled to share. "You know…I was a little surprised that you didn't want to become a Mayor's wife. Even if Jinjur _was _the more logical choice for Boq."

"Well, my interest in Boq didn't have anything to do with his being the Mayor of Munchkinland, Scarecrow." Dorothy explained. "I liked him because he was very much the gentleman. He is a very, very charming munchkin, and Maud was a lucky woman to have married him…but honestly, Scarecrow? I don't have any interest in being any kind of a leader, or a good witch, or a soldier of any kind. I'm a farmgirl. I guess that's why I really liked that munchkin life. It was a simple and a quaint existence, and that's the kind of life I was raised on. I thought it was…I thought it was _fun _to do all that cooking for others, and growing crops, and having a nice little home close enough to the central towns and homes of Munchkinland that I could see people passing by my front window. Honestly, Scarecrow...it was just as special an experience for me as…well…"

The straw-stuffed advisor arched an eyebrow. "…as those special nights you and I shared together two years ago?"

Dorothy nodded, her eyes thoughtfully meeting the Scarecrow's. "Yes."

After a moment, the Scarecrow pulled a seat over next to Dorothy and settled into it. "You really miss him, don't you?"

The Kansas girl frowned in confusion. "Who?"

The royal advisor smiled. "The one I couldn't see in Locasta's mirror. The one who has my face."

"Oh, you mean _Hunk!_" Dorothy suddenly realized. "Well…I haven't really thought about him, to be honest. I miss him, but…it's been two years now. He's probably met someone else. He may have even gotten married. I'm too young to be thinking about that kind of stuff anyway."

"Have you given any thought to getting older, Dorothy?"

A long moment passed as the Kansas girl gradually lowered her head a little and thought on this. "I don't know. I…I guess I'm not ready for that kind of thing yet. I might have used Ozma's vial otherwise." Her head rose back up to the Scarecrow. "I guess you miss me being a patchwork girl, don't you?"

"Scraps couldn't possibly compare to the patchwork girl you used to be, Dorothy." The Scarecrow admitted. "She's been a near-constant presence around me since we first met. In fact, I'm kind of surprised she's leaving me alone for the moment."

Dorothy thought on this. "Do you think Jack might be the reason? Ozma's son?"

"Hmmm…maybe." The Scarecrow replied. He then smiled, and then chuckled to himself. "Can you _imagine_ the kind of couple they'd make?"

Dorothy giggled. "She'd drive poor Jack _nuts!_"

The Scarecrow shrugged, still amused by the thought. "Well, you never know. There's always the possibility of the both of them finding common ground on something they both like."

Dorothy nodded in agreement. "I guess we'll see, in time."

Their peripheral vision caught sight of a second visitor, this one wearing a gold crown with two large red flowerheads on either side of her beautifully curly brown head of hair. In one hand, the fairy princess held her golden wand, which gave off a slight glow to provide her with a light source.

Dorothy smiled. "Good morning, Ozma."

The Scarecrow bowed his head low. "Your majesty."

Ozma's expression was a bit more serious as she stepped towards her advisor. "I need you downstairs in the throne room for the time being. I'd like to be left alone with Dorothy."

The straw-stuffed advisor rose to his feet obediently. "As you wish, your highness." With a nod and a smile to the Kansas girl, he left the kitchen and began his journey to the throne room.

The fairy princess then stepped in front of the chubby, nightgown-clad farmgirl, who was still in her seat. "Rise, Dorothy."

The human farmgirl rose out of the seat as she had been instructed to do. Dorothy noticed that with her extra weight, she was now a little taller than Ozma.

The princess then lifted her wand, and Dorothy raised a hand in restraint. "Wait, Ozma…it's okay. I...don't mind staying this way for the moment."

Ozma raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"To show Mombi that I really don't care for her scare tactics anymore." Dorothy answered. "If she knew I had myself restored, she might think I was disgusted by what she did to me. That I let her bullying get to me."

"You think _Mombi _did this?" Ozma's eyes widened.

Dorothy explained what had happened with the five-course meals, and identified the maid who had served them.

"We can certainly look into the possibility of a connection between Myriam and Mombi." Ozma assured. "Assuming, of course, they aren't the same person." The fairy princess then placed a hand on Dorothy's shoulder. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from this, my dear."

Dorothy shook her head, smiling. "Don't worry about it. Like I said…I don't mind being like this. It kind of reminds me of the time I spent in Munchkinland, actually. Would have been nice if I…had that…"

The farmgirl curiously looked down at her nightgown as the head of Ozma's wand glowed with a soft golden light. The fairy princess smiled as the nightgown's fabrics and arrangement altered to become a human-sized version of the munchkin dress Ozma had gotten for Dorothy. It was logically large enough for her chubby body as well.

"Wow…!" Dorothy hissed in amazement. She quickly relocated to the sitting room to look in the mirror. The dress looked gorgeous on her larger frame, and a smile formed on her lips as Ozma stepped behind her with a grin of her own.

Ozma then wrapped her slender arms around Dorothy's waist. "You should get back to bed now."

"I can't." She turned to face Ozma. "I've already had enough sleep already."

"Are you sure?" Ozma asked. "Fairies are good at helping people fall asleep, you know."

"Yeah, but the sun will be rising in a couple of hours anyway." Dorothy responded. "I figured I'd feed Toto, and…well, then the Scarecrow stepped in, and…"

"I know what you could do for me right now, Dorothy." Ozma gestured for the Kansas girl to follow. "Let's go back to your kitchen. I'm putting you to work."

"Work?" Dorothy frowned in her curiosity as she followed the fairy princess back to the kitchen. "But…doesn't Jellia and the other maids clean the rooms of the royal palace?"

Ozma giggled as she settled into a seat at the kitchen table. "I don't mean _cleaning, _silly! I want you to _feed _me."

Dorothy quirked an eyebrow. "But…you're a fairy. Fairies don't have appetites, do they?"

Ozma shook her head, smiling. "But that doesn't mean we can't actually eat and taste food, Dorothy. I've heard so much about your cooking talents as a munchkin, and I want you to demonstrate those talents for me right now. And I won't accept any excuses, either."

Dorothy knew Ozma was being playful in her insistence, and the Kansas girl smiled in response. She bowed humbly. "Very well, your highness."

Ozma raised her wand once again, angling it towards Dorothy's head. "Those pigtails won't do when you're cooking for me, my dear." Ozma mused, and Dorothy felt her hair rearrange itself into a tight bun at the top of her head. The Kansas girl had to blush at the feel of this new hairstyle, which she brought a hand up to run her fingers over.

Ozma audibly tapped the nails of her four fingers upon the table surface, smiling. "I'm getting hun-gryyyy…"

Dorothy performed an obedient curtsey. "What would you like me to make for you this morning, your highness?"

"Hmmm…" Ozma affected a mock thinking expression, rubbing at her chin. "…how about sooommmmme…scrambled eggs."

Dorothy nodded. "Very well, your majesty."

"And your best Herku Crumpets." Ozma then added. "I heard you make good Herku Crumpets."

Dorothy nodded again, smiling. "As you wish, your majesty."

"And some Blue Harvest Porridge, too." Ozma clicked her fingers now, maintaining her mock imperiousness, holding her head high for effect. "Go on, snap to it!"

Dorothy smirked amusedly at this gesture, and then began pulling cooking implements, followed by the necessary ingredients for Ozma's food orders. Within minutes, the air was filled with the scent of food as Dorothy willfully busied herself over the kitchen's burners.

"So what do you think we should do about Mombi, dear?" Ozma asked as Dorothy worked.

"Well…if Myriam and Mombi are the same person, make sure she stays out of the Emerald City, I think." Dorothy answered as she beat the yolks of three opened eggs together in a bowl. Butter melted upon the surface of a pan, and the Kansas girl covered the surface with it to keep the cooking eggs from sticking.

Ozma nodded. "I'll advise Jellia accordingly. We should have Mombi punished, too."

"Naah, leave her be." Dorothy poured the whisked yolks into the pan and began moving the mixture around as it sizzled with a spatula. "What did she do? She made me fat. I'm not bothered by it. I could always burn it all off at the College of Art and Athletic Perfection if it starts to bug me."

"Or you could come to me, dear." Ozma reminded, smiling. "Until then, we'll just have to accept the fact that there's a little more of you to love for the time being."

Both Ozma and Dorothy shared a laugh at this as the Kansas girl pulled a plate and moved the scrambled eggs to it. She then sprinkled a bit of salt, and then some pepper upon it. Walking back over to Ozma, she placed it before the princess. "Enjoy, your highness. I'll get started on those crumpets now."

"Mmmm…smells _delicious._" Ozma remarked as she picked up a provided fork and began to dig in as Dorothy started working on the Herku Crumpets dish.

By the time the cooking surfaces were shut down, the princess had begun eating the completed crumpets, and a fresh bowl of porridge awaited her. Dorothy herself had made enough porridge for two, with the Kansas girl providing herself with the second helping. As they both ate, Ozma got opinions from Dorothy regarding various small matters that had been brought to the attention of the fairy princess throughout the past couple of days.

"So what kind of food appeals to fairies, your highness?" Dorothy asked.

Ozma had to swallow a mouthful of the crumpets before answering. "Dew drops."

"Really? Natural condensation?" Dorothy sounded surprised. "Mornings in the forest of Burzee must be dinnertime for the fairies."

Ozma giggled at this. "You could say that. Oftentimes, the fairies shrink themselves and float underneath dew drops that are about to fall from leaves just so they can catch it in their mouths."

Dorothy swallowed her mouthful of porridge. "And you never had fairy wings? That doesn't bother you, does it?"

Ozma shook her head. "Just as you got used to being a munchkin for two years, I accepted the fact that I'm a halfbreed. Part human, part fairy. As such, I cannot fly, but I still have my fairy magic. It's funny, though. I can enchant others with the ability to float and fly for a time, but I can't do such a thing myself."

Dorothy smiled. "You don't have to fly to be the good ruler you've always been, your highness."

"Awww, thank you, Dorothy." Ozma replied. "Although I do have to start visiting all of the lands in Oz and acquaint myself with their people and their cultures. If you're willing to join me on such outings, I'd be happy to take you along."

Dorothy nodded her consent. "Absolutely, your highness."

"Otherwise, I'd have to put you to work in the kitchens." Ozma winked at this, assuring it was just a rib. "Still…you really are a great cook. What you made for me was outstanding, Dorothy."

"Better than dew drops?" Dorothy amusedly asked.

Ozma shrugged, smiling. "Better-tasting, anyway."

They both giggled at this. "So where are we going to go first?" Dorothy then asked.

"Well…I think we should pay Jinxland a visit." Ozma responded. "Betsy Bobbin told me that she saw a captured princess being enchanted by a group of witches. The land's king, a man named Krewl, told me the princess was actually a criminal, but I don't trust him. I'm thinking of taking an entourage over there sometime next week so we can confront the king about it."

Dorothy nodded. "If you go, count me in."

Once Ozma and Dorothy were finished with their meals, the fairy princess rose from her seat, as did the chubby Kansas girl. Ozma moved up close to Dorothy and kissed her on the lips. "I'd better get back downstairs and relieve the Scarecrow. Thank you so much for the meals, Dorothy. I'll let you know when we'll be making that trip to Jinxland." She then looked to Dorothy's hair. "Did you want your pigtails back?"

Dorothy shook her head, smiling, as she followed Ozma to the suite entrance door. "I'll keep it this way for now."

"Really? Good!" Ozma replied. "I have to admit, it kind of makes you look like a princess."

"I should be able to undo it though, right?" Dorothy asked.

Ozma nodded. "Just give the bun a good tug, and the hair will come right down."

Dorothy watched Ozma descend the staircase leading down to the throne room. Both were smiling as they continued to look upon each other.

Dorothy then let out a contented sigh, looking down at the blue and white dress she was now wearing. Views of the outside revealed that the early morning sun was decorating the clear skies in beautiful colors, and she was already hearing the activity of a casual day in the royal palace below her.

Behind the Kansas girl, however, was the door to Ozma's boudoir. Thinking about her conversation with the Scarecrow, she decided to step into the boudoir and approach the Magic Picture.

Standing in front of it, she let out a thoughtful sigh. "Magic Picture…show me Hunk Griffiths."

The images that replaced the neutral, animated image of the tranquil meadow showed the former hired farmhand of the Gale Ranch in the arms of the young blond woman she remembered seeing when she spied on him using Locasta's magic mirror two years ago.

They looked to be in a state of worry, however, as they listened to a young girl apparently making some kind of complaint. She had short black pageboy hair, and was dressed in a somewhat tomboyish fashion with a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, black suspenders, and black pants. Near her were an older man and an older woman. The man had the appearance of a sailor. He seemed to be offering some consolation to the girl, but she remained worried.

Hunk bent down to the little girl in his own attempt to assuage whatever worries she had. Whatever words he was using seemed to be working, however, as her worried expression abated a bit.

His blond companion seemed to be curious about something, and Hunk guided her to a mantelpiece where picture frames were standing. Grabbing one, he began explaining whoever was in the picture to his blond companion.

Dorothy herself was curious. "Magic Picture…show me the picture in the picture frame Hunk is holding."

The image adjusted itself to a close-up of the picture. It was apparently taken at a dockyard, and in the center of the picture were two men. She recognized one of them as the sailor in the room.

The other was an older man wearing the cap of a sea captain who had a smoking pipe in his mouth. Dorothy also noticed that one of his legs had been replaced by a wooden peg.

When she saw that the picture had been placed back on the mantelpiece, she directed the Magic Picture to restore its attention on Hunk, and the image adjusted accordingly.

Dorothy only had their expressions to go on as they lingered inside the house, as the Magic Picture was unable to transmit sounds. Only images could be picked up, and the images showed the lasting concerns both Hunk and his companion had for what was apparently a grave situation.

Dorothy hoped it didn't have anything to do with anyone dying.

Hunk's expression changed, however, when they apparently began talking about something different. Something more pleasant. Something which compelled the pretty blond companion to lift her hand, calling attention to something which was on her finger.

Dorothy confirmed that it was a ring. A very beautiful-looking ring, too.

Pleasantries were apparently exchanged over this ring, too. Their faces then drew near to each other, and their lips passionately locked in the kind of kiss which may very well have made it clear that the ring Dorothy had spotted on the young woman's finger was an engagement ring.

Dorothy smiled.

She couldn't be mad. She was already at peace with the fact that she was in her world, and Hunk was in his, and as far as Dorothy Gale was concerned, both of them had found happiness. Especially if Hunk and the Scarecrow were more or less the same person, and she already had a very special friend in the Scarecrow.

Remembering how Ozma had rendered the Magic Picture neutral, she did so, and walked out of the boudoir feeling content for how Hunk was doing in a world that was no longer her own. A world she had been born into, but through a stroke of unexpected fate found herself in a completely different world.

A world which had its own far more interesting share of problems and perils.

A world of good and bad witches, wizards, fairies, munchkins, and a yellow brick road leading to a most beautiful city which she was now happy to call her home.

A world called Oz.

Dorothy went back outside to briefly join the passing crowds moving throughout the city, and eventually made her way to where her statue representation was located. Finding a bench that was conveniently in front of it, the content Kansas girl lowered herself into it.

As she looked, and was dressed, a little different from the statue's likeness, Dorothy didn't have to worry about people crowding around her. Her hair was still in the bun that Ozma had created as well.

As she continued to gaze thoughtfully at her own tin-wrought likeness, a young girl dressed in red clothes…one of the quadlings…settled in next to her.

After glancing curiously at Dorothy, and then sharing a smile with the Kansas girl, the young quadling turned to her. "Did you know Dorothy?"

Obviously, the quadling remained unaware that the tin statue and the girl she just happened to be sitting next to were one and the same. Dorothy decided to play along with this. "Oh, I know that brave girl as well as anyone _could_ know her."

"Is it true that she killed two witches?" The quadling girl then asked. "My daddy told me she dropped a house on one of them, and she made the other one melt."

Dorothy giggled at this. It seemed that people in Oz were indeed twisting the facts. "I'm afraid that's…not _entirely_ accurate. Would you like to hear the _real _story?"

The quadling girl eagerly nodded. "Uh-huh!"

As Dorothy began sharing the stories of her adventures, other young children from all over Oz gathered around her as she went into as much detail as she could, relating it all in as much of a storybook manner as she could. A few adults, many of them parents of the gathered children, similarly listened in.

Ozma and the Scarecrow, having no further business to attend to in the royal palace, joined the thickening crowds by the statue. They made an effort to blend in with the crowd, however, so as not to distract the talented young storyteller from Kansas.

As much as she was tempted to do otherwise, Dorothy never let on that she was in fact the very subject of her own stories, and never once did she exaggerate the details.

Although she was still the young girl that had first come to the land of Oz two years ago, Dorothy couldn't help but _feel _a little more mature as she spoke. Memories of her Aunt Em telling fairy tales to her at her bedside when Dorothy was younger came back to the Kansas girl.

Now, apparently, Dorothy Gale herself was the storyteller, recollecting her own experiences for the benefit of a crowd of curious children.

By the time she finished her stories, she couldn't help but look forward to whatever adventures awaited her in the times to come as the chubby Kansas girl welcomed the loud applause she received when she was finished.

For one thing, there were the concerns Ozma noted regarding the Jinxland affair…

…but that, alas, is another story!


	14. EPILOGUE: Cold as Stone

**EPILOGUE**

The Owl-headed phanfasm was, more or less, the right-hand man of the all-powerful leader of the mountain-bound phanfasms, the First and Foremost. If he ever needed to identify himself, he usually used the name Hoot.

For the portly human form the First and Foremost had given him for his current task, he chose to call himself Hootley. He was clad in the robes of a traveling merchant from the land of Ev when he visited Jinxland. Large winged creatures had discreetly carried Hootley over the desert and deposited him near the edge of the Gillikin Country. A taxi had brought him to the Quadling Country, and he made his way to the royal palace in Jinxland.

A part of him worried that he would be caught by Glinda, given her immense powers of magic, but he remained undetected. No doubt the Good Witch of the South was busy with some other matter.

This was good, he thought, as he was bearing very important…and dangerous…gifts for those he was commanded to visit.

Approaching the royal palace of Jinxland, Hootley had to make his way through a thick crowd, all of whom were loudly voicing some manner of concern. Two names were repeatedly mentioned, neither of which meant anything to Hootley.

Pon? Gloria? Who were they, he wondered? Hootley was at least content with the fact that there was so much turmoil going on. Being erbs, phanfasms naturally thrived on such things. Making people unhappy was the kind of thing any of the erbs lived for.

Particularly if it had anything to do with the grand plan the First and Foremost was putting together. A plan that needed allies within the land of Oz, and since their attempt to win over the mangaboos ended in failure, they now turned to King Krewl. His want to establish himself as the absolute ruler of Jinxland appealed to the phanfasms. Particularly for the fact that he had a coven of witches helping him.

As Hootley neared the gates to the palace, a pair of large, broad-bodied guards stepped in his way.

"Name?" One of them asked, in a low, gruff voice.

The traveling merchant smiled, unfazed. "Hootley. I bear offerings for your king." He calmly replied.

After a moment of consideration, they both stepped aside and allowed the visitor to pass, much to the chagrin of the crowds the other guards were holding back.

Walking right into the throne room once he had gained entry into the royal palace, the ember-like eyes of the king now fixed on the visiting merchant.

"What is it?" The surly monarch growled. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

Again, the merchant flashed the same smile he gave the guards. "Hootley. Have I come at a bad time? It seems the natives are a bit…restless."

"Bah! They keep mewling over the princess and that pathetic gardener's boy!" Krewl huffed. "They can't accept that Gloria has no interest in that boy at all anymore."

"And…what of this boy?" Hootley curiously asked. "Has he been dealt with? That's what I would do, you know, if I were in your shoes."

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Krewl replied. "I don't know what Blinkie did, but I'm told the spell worked."

"Sorry?" The merchant frowned. "Blinkie?"

"The leader of a coven of witches that serve me." Krewl complained. "I will have them deal with _you, _too, unless you…"

"What of those crowds outside, hmm?" Hootley interjected, remaining unfazed. "Can you not silence them?"

Krewl smirked. "Can _you? _Assuming you are a wizard?"

Hootley smirked back. "Merchant, actually…but one willing to part with something that might be of some help, if you would but humor me."

Krewl arched an eyebrow, immediately curious, but at the same time, skeptical. "Show it to me, then."

Rummaging through his finely-designed, beautifully-colored robes, Hootley produced a single pearl, holding it between the thumb and the index finger of his right hand.

Krewl snorted in derision. "That one rock can help me quell the disorder? I am no stranger to such petty deceptions, merchant!"

Hootley just smiled in response. "You obviously require a demonstration. Have you a balcony here? A means by which to gaze upon the rabble? I believe I saw one as I approached."

Intrigued, Krewl motioned for Hootley to follow. If this was a bluff, it had to be called.

The voices outside grew louder once Krewl and Hootley appeared at the balcony. Some of the townspeople threw things in their hatred, but none of them were able to throw capably enough to reach their elevation. Their lingering message was clear, though. They were fed up with being ignored.

"Perhaps you would like to throw that stone back at them?" Krewl sarcastically suggested.

Hootley closed his fingers around the pearl, forming a loose-fingered fist. "No need."

The merchant then raised his empty hand out towards the crowd below and spoke in a firm, clear voice.

"**Upon present foes, by my will alone, transmute thyselves to cold, hard stone.**"

As Krewl watched, he saw the crowds begin to react to a faint crackling noise. They all looked down in shock as they saw their legs go rigid, and revert to a dry gray color. Men, women, boys, and girls in the crowd all felt the grayness overcome their bodies completely as they were held in place, their expressions going from rage to those of horror as they solidified, the crackling noise only stopping when the process was done. Their alarmed voices dropped in tone, too, as if their voices were phonograph records slowing to a halt.

Where there was a mob of angry civilians, there was now a bunched-together array of stone statues.

Krewl's eyes widened significantly as he paid witness to this effect. The area in front of the palace was now silent. At least, until other residents saw what had happened to the unfortunate protesters.

Smiling in his satisfaction, Hootley brought his fist in front of the king, opening it to expose the pearl.

When he did, however, a pale, feminine hand suddenly grabbed it, surprising both men.

Their eyes turned to this third party, and Krewl smiled when he saw who it was.

Hootley's eyes fell upon a young woman who had a face which, were she to be disgustingly pleasant in nature, would be quite beautiful. As she was now, she looked far less pleasant as she fixed a menacing stare upon the merchant. She wore an elaborately-designed blue and gray dress indicative of nobility, and she wore a menacing-looking crown. Her skin was pale in appearance, and blue veins could be seen upon areas of her arms as she looked upon the pearl.

"Does my new toy have a name, Hootley?" The young noble asked, in a cold and emotionless tone, as she examined the pearl.

"It has been called the Medusa Stone, named for a greek woman cursed by her gods, who fixed her petrifying gaze upon its magic-absorbing surface." Hootley explained. He then turned to Krewl. "As you saw, your highness, it only reacts to those words. Do be careful with it, though. Enough physical pressure upon the pearl will shatter it."

"I see." The noble closed her pale fingers around the pearl with a careful grip. "Thank you. Upon Hootley, by my will alone, transmute thyself to cold, hard stone."

Unfazed, Hootley smiled once again. No crackling noise was heard, and Hootley remained as he was.

The disappointed noblewoman sighed aloud. "Once per day?"

Hootley nodded, smirking. "They will need to be within a certain radius, as well. About…fifty feet or so, give or take."

An evil grin was now on Krewl's face as he looked at Hootley. "How can we repay you for such a generous gift?"

"We can allow him to leave." The noble emotionlessly suggested.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something a little more substantial, Gloria." Krewl turned back to Hootley, grinning once again. "Well?"

"When you see me again, I will ask a favor of you." Hootley then turned to leave. "Do not refuse it."

Both Krewl and Gloria watched him go, undoubtedly curious over his parting words. Gloria's mind shifted gears, however, as she lifted the pearl up to look upon it closely. "The Medusa Stone."

"We can assure complete obedience from our subjects, my dear." Krewl growled. "So long as we don't break it."

An old, red-robed woman wearing an eyepatch hurried over to where Krewl and Gloria were standing. "Who was that man who just passed me?"

"A friend, Blinkie." Krewl assured. "He just provided us with the means to neutralize anyone who stands in our way."

"_Another _wizard?" Blinkie exclaimed. "Was he anything like the one we dealt with this morning?"

Krewl shook his head. "But we do have a few new stone statues to decorate the courtyard with." He then gestured to the petrified victims of the pearl's magic.

Blinkie's only good eye stared upon the group of statues, and she then brought a hand to her right shoulder, where an insect of some kind had been perched. Plucking it from her shoulder, she placed it upon the palm of her other hand, and the insect glanced up at the one-eyed witch.

She grinned wickedly upon this insect, which turned out to be a grasshopper. "Consider yourself lucky, little bug. At least _you _can still move."

As Krewl, Blinkie, and Gloria began to laugh exultantly, the grasshopper stumbled a bit as it stood still.

Apparently, it was difficult for the sullen, once-human grasshopper to stand still with a wooden peg lingering on one of its legs.

**~ TO BE CONTINUED ~**

**in**

**_"_****_The Frozen Heart of Oz"_**


End file.
